So, he reasoned, if you can identify the sources of a government's power - people working in civil service, police and judges, even the army - then you know what a dictatorship depends on for its existence.
Interpretation
A dictatorship relies on the control of key institutions and individuals that uphold its power.
In this quote, Gene Sharp emphasizes the importance of understanding the foundational elements that sustain a dictatorship. By identifying the sources of a government's power—such as civil servants, law enforcement, judges, and the military—one can discern the vulnerabilities and dependencies of authoritarian regimes, which can be crucial for dismantling oppressive systems.
In practice
In a political debate discussing the traits of authoritarian regimes.
The fall of one regime does not bring in a utopia. Rather, it opens the way for hard work and long efforts to build more just social, economic,and political relationships and the eradication of other forms of injustices and oppression.
Antiracists must acknowledge that patriarchy has long been a weapon of racism and cannot sit comfortably in any politic of racial transformation.
The main thing is to remain oneself, under any circumstances; that was and is our common purpose.
While some men see ordinary happenings, others see divine light and guidance.
Yes, all fundamentalists feel that in a secular society, God has been relegated to the margin, to the periphery and they are all in different ways seeking to drag him out of that peripheral position, back to center stage.
We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives.
Everything you're sure is right can be wrong in another place.
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