#m

Japan is not a Western democracy. The Japanese have kept their traditions, culture and heritage, but they have joined the community of free nations. ↗

— Natan Sharansky

#culture #democracy #free #free nations #heritage

My optimism is not based primarily on the successful march of democracy in recent times but rather is based on the experience of having lived in a fear society and studied the mechanics of tyranny that sustain such a society. ↗

— Natan Sharansky

#democracy #experience #fear #having #lived

Non-democratic regimes always need to mobilize their people against external enemies in order to maintain internal stability. ↗

— Natan Sharansky

#always #external #internal #maintain #mobilize

The message of the free world to any potential Palestinian leadership should be a simple one: Embrace democratic reform and we will embrace you. ↗

— Natan Sharansky

#democratic #embrace #free #free world #leadership

The only peace that can be made with a dictator is once that must be based on deterrence. For today, the dictator may be your friend, but tomorrow he will need you as an enemy. ↗

— Natan Sharansky

#deterrence #dictator #enemy #friend #made

Even when they have nothing, the Irish emit a kind of happiness, a joy. ↗

— Fiona Shaw

#even #happiness #irish #joy #kind

The central premise behind Oslo was that if Arafat were given enough legitimacy, territory, weapons and money, he would use his power to fight terror and make peace with Israel. ↗

— Natan Sharansky

#behind #central #enough #fight #given

An there is always the question: is it really proven that retaliatory actions solve the security problem?. ↗

— Moshe Sharett

#always #problem #proven #question #really

The three main sources of scepticism are first, that not every people desires freedom; second, that democracy in certain parts of the world would be dangerous; and third, that there is little the world's democracies can do to advance freedom outside their countries. ↗

— Natan Sharansky

#certain #countries #dangerous #democracies #democracy

The two most important things that can be done to promote democracy in the world is first, to bring moral clarity back to world affairs and second, to link international policies to the advance of democracy around the globe. ↗

— Natan Sharansky

#affairs #around #back #bring #clarity