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About this quote

What does it mean?
Oppression is still oppression even if it has a friendly name.
In plain terms
Being controlled is bad even if you call it by a good name.
What can you take from it?
Don't be fooled by labels on bad actions.

Where it applies

  • political analysis
  • corporate culture
  • activism

Putting it to work

  • question labels
  • look at actions
  • demand transparency

Questions to consider

  • How do names change how we see rules?
  • When does a name hide the truth?

Another view

Renaming things can sometimes help people accept necessary changes.

More from Mikhail Bakunin

  1. I am a fanatic lover of liberty, considering it as the unique condition under which intelligence, dignity and human happiness can develop and grow; not the pur…

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  2. Even the most wretched individual of our present society could not exist and develop without the cumulative social efforts of countless generations. Thus the i…

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  3. Political Freedom without economic equality is a pretense, a fraud, a lie; and the workers want no lying.

    Permalink to quote #3

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