--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Propaganda is to a democracy what…" description: "\"Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship.\" — William Blum" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/william-blum-24558_crime_propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violen_1218868.png" --- # Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a… ![“Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship.” quote by William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/william-blum-24558_crime_propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violen_1218868.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/william-blum-24558_crime_propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violen_1218868.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/william-blum-24558_crime_propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violen_1218868.png) > “Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship.” [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In democracies, propaganda manipulates opinion like violence does in dictatorships, undermining freedom through deception. **In simple terms:** Propaganda is covert violence. Key Takeaway Question information sources. Themes politics media freedom Mood alert critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - elections - news consumption - social media Key Concepts information control public opinion Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens detect propaganda? - What role does education play in resisting manipulation? A Different Perspective Propaganda can also mobilize positive change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Dictatorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictatorship/) [Propaganda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propaganda/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [Because they don't teach the truth about the world, schools have to rely on beating students over the head with propaganda about democracy. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/because-they-don-t-teach-the-truth-about-the-world-schools-have-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [In fact I didn't think about fear much at the time. I felt angry about everything that was happening around me: the violence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-blasim/in-fact-i-didn-t-think-about-fear-much-at-the-time-i-felt-angry-about/) [Hassan Blasim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-blasim/) > [“In some cases, however, limited violence against the dictatorship may be inevitable. Frustration and hatred of the regime may explode into violence. Or, certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/in-some-cases-however-limited-violence-against-the-dictatorship-may/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [Debate and discussions strengthen democracy but violence during protests weaken democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-nath-kovind/debate-and-discussions-strengthen-democracy-but-violence-during/) [Ram Nath Kovind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-nath-kovind/) > [Democracy and violence can ill go together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/democracy-and-violence-can-ill-go-together/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [More than poverty, more than degree of education, religion, access to natural resources, even degree of democracy - violence against females is the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/more-than-poverty-more-than-degree-of-education-religion-access-to/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [When people in a democracy are not educated in the art of living -- to strengthen their conscience, compassion, and ability to question and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-k-chappell/when-people-in-a-democracy-are-not-educated-in-the-art-of-living-to/) [Paul K. Chappell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-k-chappell/) > [The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance. The growth of democracy; the growth of corporate power; and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-carey/the-20th-century-has-been-characterized-by-three-developments-of/) [Alex Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-carey/) > [Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-the-bludgeon-is-to-a-totalitarian/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Naturally, the common people don't want war ... but after all it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goring/naturally-the-common-people-don-t-want-war-but-after-all-it-is-the/) [Hermann Goring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goring/) > [“Your law always does more harm than crime, and your morality is a form of violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bond/your-law-always-does-more-harm-than-crime-and-your-morality-is-a-form/) [Edward Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bond/) > [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [“The most disgusting human trait is bias, because it typically leads to propaganda, hate and violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lifsey/the-most-disgusting-human-trait-is-bias-because-it-typically-leads-to/) [Lori Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lifsey/) > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) ## More by William Blum > [The Soviet Union and something called communism per se had not been the object of Washington's global attacks. There had never been an International…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/the-soviet-union-and-something-called-communism-per-se-had-not-been/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [Terror is the poor man's war, war is the rich man's terror. Ultimately, all wars will end either in annihilation or at the negotiating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/terror-is-the-poor-man-s-war-war-is-the-rich-man-s-terror-ultimately/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [America's state religion, is patriotism, a phenomenon which has convinced many of the citizenry that 'treason' is morally worse than murder or rape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/america-s-state-religion-is-patriotism-a-phenomenon-which-has/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [The "trickle-down" theory: the principle that the poor, who must subsist on table scraps dropped by the rich, can best be served by giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/the-trickle-down-theory-the-principle-that-the-poor-who-must-subsist/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [A terrorist is someone who has a bomb, but doesn't have an air force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/a-terrorist-is-someone-who-has-a-bomb-but-doesn-t-have-an-air-force/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [From 1945 to 2003, the United States attempted to overthrow more than 40 foreign governments, and to crush more than 30 populist-nationalist movements fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/from-1945-to-2003-the-united-states-attempted-to-overthrow-more-than/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [What our leaders and pundits never let slip is that the terrorists-whatever else they might be-might also be rational human beings ; which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/what-our-leaders-and-pundits-never-let-slip-is-that-the-terrorists/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [Do you remember the classic example of chutzpah? It's the young man who kills his parents and then asks the judge for mercy on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/do-you-remember-the-classic-example-of-chutzpah-it-s-the-young-man/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [If love is blind, patriotism has lost all five senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/if-love-is-blind-patriotism-has-lost-all-five-senses/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [The de facto censorship which leaves so many Americans functionally illiterate about the history of US foreign affairs may be all the more effective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/the-de-facto-censorship-which-leaves-so-many-americans-functionally/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [“The Empire would love to rip Ukraine from Moscow’s bosom, evict the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and establish a US military and/or NATO presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/the-empire-would-love-to-rip-ukraine-from-moscow-s-bosom-evict-the/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [Why don't church leaders forbid Catholics from joining the military with the same fervor they tell Catholics to stay away from abortion clinics?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/why-don-t-church-leaders-forbid-catholics-from-joining-the-military/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [The leaders of the empire, the imperial mafia-George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Cheney, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, et al.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/the-leaders-of-the-empire-the-imperial-mafia-george-w-bush-donald/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [“to the American power elite one of the longest lasting and most essential foreign policy goals has been preventing the rise of any society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/to-the-american-power-elite-one-of-the-longest-lasting-and-most/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [Most terrorists are people deeply concerned by what they see as social, political, or religious injustice and hypocrisy, and the immediate grounds for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/most-terrorists-are-people-deeply-concerned-by-what-they-see-as/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) [Explore all 24 William Blum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) ## More Crime quotes > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [Taking notes while watching Forensic Files and Snapped. I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too much virtue can be criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/too-much-virtue-can-be-criminal/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013, often at a far faster rate than the Bureau of Prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-yates/the-federal-prison-population-increased-by-almost-800-percent-between/) [Sally Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-yates/) > [ \[P\]rogress, however, has not sufficiently infiltrated the Interior Ministry, affording protection to those who participated in the Bytyqi murders and other egregious Milosevic-era crimes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-bohlen/p-rogress-however-has-not-sufficiently-infiltrated-the-interior/) Avis Bohlen [Browse all 8,359 Crime quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Blum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violence-is-to-a-dictatorship/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crime" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violence-is-to-a-dictatorship/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/william-blum-24558_crime_propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violen_1218868.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/william-blum-24558_crime_propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violen_1218868.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/william-blum-24558_crime_propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violen_1218868.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship.” — William Blum", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Blum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Propaganda is to a democracy what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violence-is-to-a-dictatorship/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/propaganda-is-to-a-democracy-what-violence-is-to-a-dictatorship/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```