Tuesday, June 11, 2013

How to take control of the people!

The best way to take control of a people and to control them utterly is to take away a little of their freedom at a time, to erode rights by a thousand tiny and almost imperceptible reductions. In this way the people will not see those rights and freedoms being removed until past the point at which these changes cannot be reversed.

Comment:

This quote is often attributed to Hitler but those who have tried to find the exact reference including myself, have failed to find any proof of this. Nevertheless, much truth is contained in these words and it is worth repeating so I will leave it here for the reader's consideration without attribution to any specific person.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great quote but I cannot use it unless I have the exact reference - do you have it?

speakeezie said...

It is mentioned in several places on the intenet but I have yet to find the exact reference.

Jeh said...

Adolph Hitler, Mein Kampf

speakeezie said...

Thanks.

WorknPlay said...

This is NOT a quote from Mein Kampf.
I've searched the book for it and nowhere does it appear in the text of the book.
I suspect this is one of those internet meme creations attributed to Hitler for which there is no verifiable source to the attribution other than it's prolific (popular) replication.
It should be treated as "unverifiable" until proven otherwise by verifiable means.

speakeezie said...

I will withdraw the attribution to Hitler but preserve the quotation as there is unoubtedly a lot of truth to it.

Anonymous said...

Although the origin of this quote is disputed, most attribute it to Hitler. However, it is also reminiscent of Prime Minister Harper's description of himself as an "incrementalist."

Anonymous said...

@ WorknPlay, keeping the quote even though no one may have said it completely negates the whole point of quoting! geez.

speakeezie said...

Not at all. It is exactly what is happening and a strategy that is undoubtedly comprehended by those with their hands on the levers of power. Forty years ago the surveillance society lived only in the mind of George Orwell. Our civil and privacy rights have been decimated by little cuts since 9/11. The concept is alive and thriving.

Unknown said...

Nope. Not there.

Billie said...

I read it was a quote from Pat Miller, in "Willfully Ignorant"

Unknown said...

Nope. It’s from a novel about Nazi Germany entitled “Willfully Ignorant”. Author is Patrick Miller, I think.

Unknown said...

Nope. It’s from a novel about Nazi Germany entitled “Willfully Ignorant” by Patrick Miller.

Anonymous said...

Pat is a woman. Pat Miller was born in Illinois, but has lived in colorful Colorado for the past 50 years. She was elected a State Representative and served in the Colorado Legislature in the early 90s. She and her husband live in an air park with a runway in their back yard. Aviation is a large part of their lives.