But Louisiana was still a democracy (Long) insisted. “A perfect democracy can come close to looking like a dictatorship, a democracy in which the people are so satisfied they have no complaint.”
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Entries Tagged as 'Dictatorship'
A Perfect Democracy – “Huey Long”, T. Harry Williams
September 15th, 2012 · Comments Off on A Perfect Democracy – “Huey Long”, T. Harry Williams · Democracy, Politics
Tags:Democracy·Dictatorship·Out of Touch
Rosa Luxemburg’s Warning – “Arguably: Selected Essays” – Christopher Hitchens
July 7th, 2012 · Comments Off on Rosa Luxemburg’s Warning – “Arguably: Selected Essays” – Christopher Hitchens · Communism, Democracy, History, Politics, Power, Totalitarianism
Rosa Luxemburg’s warning to Lenin that revolution can move swiftly from the dictatorship of a class to the dictatorship of a party, to be followed by the dictatorship of a committee of that party and eventually by the rule of a single man who will soon enough dispense with that committee.
Tags:communism·Democracy·Dictatorship·Politics·Process·socialism
Kill a Chicken to Scare the Monkey – “My Reading Life” – Bob Carr
May 9th, 2012 · Comments Off on Kill a Chicken to Scare the Monkey – “My Reading Life” – Bob Carr · Communism, History, Means and Ends, Politics, Quotes, Totalitarianism
Mao said to a party gathering in 1968 about a colleague, Marshal He Long, ‘Now it seems we can no longer protect him’. Chilling. It was the chairman’s perverse way of announcing a political execution. As Mao said on another occasion, you kill a chicken to scare the monkey.
Tags:communism·Dictatorship·History·means and ends·Politics·Quotes
The Rebellion of a Mouse in a Cage – “Anthills of the Savannah”. Chinua Achebe
September 26th, 2011 · Comments Off on The Rebellion of a Mouse in a Cage – “Anthills of the Savannah”. Chinua Achebe · Africa, Colonialism, History, Power, Quotes, Totalitarianism
That was when I smiled at myself and my puny, empty revolts, the rebellion of a mouse in a cage.
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Tags:Africa·Dictatorship·power·Quotes
Passing the Baton Between Empires – “Anthills of the Savannah”. Chinua Achebe
September 25th, 2011 · Comments Off on Passing the Baton Between Empires – “Anthills of the Savannah”. Chinua Achebe · Africa, Colonialism, History, Power, Security Policy, Totalitarianism, War, WW2
After a long career of subduing savages in distant lands they discovered the most dangerous savage of all just across the English Channel and took (Churchill) on and brought him to heel. But the effort proved too great and the cost too high, and although they acquitted themselves with honour they made sure that they […]
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Tags:Africa·colonialism·Dictatorship·WW2
Partial Eclipise – “Anthills of the Savannah”. Chinua Achebe
September 24th, 2011 · Comments Off on Partial Eclipise – “Anthills of the Savannah”. Chinua Achebe · Africa, Colonialism, History, Power, Totalitarianism
He had his day and then went into partial eclipse. But I hardly think he is due for prison, yet.
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Tags:Africa·Dictatorship·power
Power – “Anthills of the Savannah” – Chinua Achebe
September 24th, 2011 · Comments Off on Power – “Anthills of the Savannah” – Chinua Achebe · Africa, Colonialism, History, Politics, Power, Totalitarianism
‘Good day, Your Excellency, Mr. President,’ intoned Professor Okong executing at the same time a ninety-degree bow. No reply nor any kind of recognition of his presence. His Excellency continued writing on his drafting pad for a full minute more before looking up. Then he spoke abruptly as though to an intruder he wanted to […]
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Tags:Africa·Dictatorship·Politics·power
Juche 84 – “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” – Barbara Demick
September 20th, 2011 · Comments Off on Juche 84 – “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” – Barbara Demick · History, North Korea, Totalitarianism
If anything, Kim Il-sung appeared greater in death even than life. Pyongyang ordered that the calendars be changed. Instead of marking time from the birth and death of Christ, the modern era for North Koreans would now begin in 1912 with the birth of Kim Il-sung so that the year 1986 would now be known […]
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Tags:Dictatorship·North Korea·propaganda·totalitarianism
What do North Korean Children and Horses have in Common? – “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” – Barbara Demick
September 19th, 2011 · Comments Off on What do North Korean Children and Horses have in Common? – “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” – Barbara Demick · History, North Korea, Totalitarianism
The Children were never to forget that they owed everything to the national leadership. Like other North Korean children, they didn’t celebrate their own birthdays, but those of Kim Il-sun on April 15 and Kim Jong-il on February 16. These days were national holidays and they were often the only days people would get meat […]
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Tags:Dictatorship·North Korea·propaganda·totalitarianism
Benevolent Dictator – “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” – Barbara Demick
September 19th, 2011 · Comments Off on Benevolent Dictator – “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” – Barbara Demick · History, North Korea, Totalitarianism
Kim Il-sung also wanted love. Murals in vivid poster colors showed him surrounded by pink-cheeked children looking on with adoration as he bestowed on them a pearly-toothed, ear-to-ear grin. Toys and bicycles clutter the background of these images – Kim Il-sung didn’t want to be Joseph Stalin; he wanted to be Santa Claus.
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Tags:Dictatorship·North Korea·Personality Cult·totalitarianism