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Today we reject the notion of equality between a regime that belongs to the democratic world – even if it is conservative and disagreeable – and a totalitarian dictatorship, whether its colors are black, red, or green.

Adam Michnik

After the French Revolution, it was not the treason of the king that was in question; it was the existence of the king. You have to be very careful when you judge and execute somebody for being a symbol.
ADAM MICHNIK

Country Final French Judging King Question Revolution Treason
After the fall of communism in Poland, we had a post-communist as president for two terms: Aleksander Kwasniewski. He was very good. He brought Poland into NATO and the European Union.
ADAM MICHNIK

Communism Communist Country Fall Judging Justice President Term
I can’t remember any text of mine where I said that one should fight Hitler without violence; I’m not an idiot.
ADAM MICHNIK

Fight Fighting Hitler Idiot Mine Remember Text Violence
We still have politicians who strive for a different type of country: Kaczynski as well as Orbán in Hungary.
ADAM MICHNIK

Country Different Hungary Man Politician Strive Type Winning
I think it’s always dangerous to make political arguments in a religiously ideological way. And it’s very dangerous to treat as traitors to the American nation those who think differently.
ADAM MICHNIK

Argument Dangerous Ideological Political Religiously Thinking Way
This is why we will never again say that Chamberlain is no better than Hitler, Roosevelt no better than Stalin, and Nixon no better than Mao Zedong, even if we do condemn Roosevelt for Yalta, Chamberlain for Munich, and Nixon for Watergate.
ADAM MICHNIK

Again Better never Say
There were free elections in Bulgaria, where the opposition has just won.
ADAM MICHNIK

Clever Country Election Free Opposition Reflection Winning Won
In a democracy, the government is a reflection of society because people are elected.
ADAM MICHNIK

Democracy Elected Government People Reflection Society
Politics and ethics belong to different worlds.
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Different Ethics Politics World
They want a gradual coup. If Orbán stayed in power in Hungary or if Kaczynski were to win an election in our country, it would be dangerous.
ADAM MICHNIK

Country Coup Dangerous Election Gradual Hungary Orban Power
Even though we are not sure of the links, Iraq was one of the countries that did not lower its flags in mourning on 9/11.
ADAM MICHNIK

Country Flag Link Lower Mourning Sure Thought War
Do you believe in free speech? Then speak freely. Do you love the truth? Then tell it.
ADAM MICHNIK

Believe Freely Question Speak Speech Tell Truth
We lack a political culture, a culture of compromise. We in Poland, as well as the Hungarians, have never learned this sort of thing.
ADAM MICHNIK

Children Compromise Country Cultural Lack Political Strong
Sometimes the type of person from the old machine, who is everything but an appealing figure, happens to win an election. But democracy applies to everyone, not just the noble and the clever.
ADAM MICHNIK

Appealing Apply Clever Democracy Election Figure Machine Noble Old Person Sometimes
France can never accept that it is no longer a dominating power in the world of culture. This is true both of the French right and the French left. They keep thinking that Americans are primitive cowboys or farmers who do not understand anything.
ADAM MICHNIK

Accept Country Cowboy Culture Domination Longer Power Thinking World
A part of society in our countries would still prefer an authoritarian regime today. These are people with the mentality of Homo sovieticus. But they also exist in France – just think of Le Pen – and even in Finland and Sweden.
ADAM MICHNIK

Authoritarian Country People Prefer Regime Society Thinking Today

Today we reject the notion of equality between a regime that belongs to the democratic world – even if it is conservative and disagreeable – and a totalitarian dictatorship, whether its colors are black, red, or green.

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Today we reject the notion of equality between a regime that belongs to the democratic world – even if it is conservative and disagreeable – and a totalitarian dictatorship, whether its colors are black, red, or green.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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