Syria should not belong to one family, to one coterie, or to one party. It belongs to all the people of Syria equally, in all their religious and ethnic diversity.
William HagueRead
Governments that use violence to stop democratic development will not earn themselves respite forever. They will pay an increasingly high price for actions which they can no longer hide from the world with ease, and will find themselves on the wrong side of history.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Violence against democracy is unsustainable and will have lasting consequences.
This quote conveys the message that government repression and violence used to stifle democratic progress are ultimately futile. Such actions may provide temporary control, but they will lead to significant repercussions, both in public perception and historical judgment, as the global community becomes more aware of their actions.
Themes
ViolenceDemocracyHistoryGovernmentRepression
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used during a political debate to emphasize the importance of democratic values.
More from William Hague
All quotes →When the Lord Chancellor violates the trust of his great office of state to solicit party donations from people whose careers he can control, and then says I'm not sorry, and I'd do it again no wonder the public think that power has gone to their heads.
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When we have a Deputy Prime Minister who tells people not to drive cars but has two Jags himself, and where the Minister who tells people not to have two homes turns out to have nine himself - no wonder the public believe politicians are hypocrites.
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