Free societies are societies in which the right of dissent is protected. Natan Sharansky More Quotes by Natan Sharansky More Quotes From Natan Sharansky They tried their best to find a place where I was isolated. But all the resources of a superpower cannot isolate the man who hears a voice of freedom, a voice I heard from the very chamber of my soul. Natan Sharansky voicesoulmen In dictatorships you need courage to fight evil; in the free world you need courage to see evil. Natan Sharansky fightingevilneeds Can someone within that society walk into the town square and say what they want without fear of being punished for his or her views? If so, then that society is a free society. If not, it is a fear society. Natan Sharansky being-freesquaresviews As soon as people become a little less fearful, they will also begin demanding more freedom. Natan Sharansky fearfullittlespeople When we are unwilling to draw clear moral lines between free societies and fear societies, when we are unwilling to call the former good and the latter evil, we will not be able to advance the cause of peace because peace cannot be disconnected from freedom. Natan Sharansky linesevilpeace The two most important things that can be done to promote democracy in the world is first, to bring moral clarity back to world affairs and second, to link international policies to the advance of democracy around the globe. Natan Sharansky democracyimportanttwo Of course, there can be serious injustices within free societies. Natan Sharansky injusticecoursesserious Imagine if the United States, in its war against Hitler, had said to Stalin: we don't want your support until you make your country democratic. Natan Sharansky supportwarcountry My optimism is not based primarily on the successful march of democracy in recent times but rather is based on the experience of having lived in a fear society and studied the mechanics of tyranny that sustain such a society. Natan Sharansky optimismdemocracysuccessful Just as the 99% of Soviet citizens who supported the Soviet regime in 1985 was no indication of what the people inside the USSR really thought, the army of true believers that we think we see in the Arab world is an illusion. Natan Sharansky armypeoplethinking The central premise behind Oslo was that if Arafat were given enough legitimacy, territory, weapons and money, he would use his power to fight terror and make peace with Israel. Natan Sharansky fightingisraelpeace The only peace that can be made with a dictator is once that must be based on deterrence. For today, the dictator may be your friend, but tomorrow he will need you as an enemy. Natan Sharansky todaypeaceenemy Japan is not a Western democracy. The Japanese have kept their traditions, culture and heritage, but they have joined the community of free nations. Natan Sharansky japandemocracycommunity When did America forget that it's America? Natan Sharansky forgetamerica Democratic leaders, whose power is ultimately dependent on popular support, are held accountable for failing to improve the lives of their citizens. Therefore, they have a powerful incentive to keep their societies peaceful and prosperous. Natan Sharansky supportpowerfulleader A simple way to determine whether the right to dissent in a particular society is being upheld is to apply the town square test: Can a person walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm? If he can, then that person is living in a free society. If not, it's a fear society. Natan Sharansky squaressimpleviews Bush explained his fundamental concept to me, that freedom is not an American invention, but rather a gift from God to all people. Natan Sharansky inventionfundamentalspeople Non-democratic regimes always need to mobilize their people against external enemies in order to maintain internal stability. Natan Sharansky orderpeopleenemy If you have to fight an enemy at a critical point in time, and you have an ally who happens to be a dictator, you don't say: Let's stop fighting right now, because you're not a democrat. That would be ridiculous. Natan Sharansky alliesfightingenemy Free nations generally look for ways to deal with dictators amicably. Natan Sharansky dictatorlooksway
