The great strength of the totalitarian state is that it forces

"The great strength of the totalitarian state is that it forces those who fear it to imitate it." These are the words of Adolf Hitler, uttered not as praise for freedom, but as a dark recognition of the mechanics of power. His statement carries a chilling wisdom: that the might of such a regime lies not only in its armies or its weapons, but in its ability to shape the behavior of both subjects and adversaries. The tyrant’s true victory is not merely in forcing obedience but in compelling others—even those who resist—to adopt his methods, his ruthlessness, his very likeness.

The ancients understood this paradox well. In their histories, they recorded how empires often became mirrors of their enemies. The Athenians, once champions of liberty, in the midst of the Peloponnesian War adopted cruelties akin to those of Sparta, enslaving allies and silencing dissent. Fear drove them to imitate the harshness of their foe, until they could no longer distinguish themselves from those they once despised. Thus, Hitler’s observation reveals an eternal truth: the greatest danger of oppression is not only in its chains, but in the corruption of the soul of those who confront it.

Consider the grim story of the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union, locked in mortal suspicion, each adopted practices that resembled the other. The Soviets wielded secret police and censorship, but America, too, during the Red Scare, silenced voices, blacklisted artists, and punished dissent. Though the forms were different, the shadow of fear led even defenders of democracy to echo the habits of repression. The strength of the totalitarian state lay not only within its borders, but in the way it shaped the conduct of its enemies.

And yet, this truth is not only political—it is human. In the lives of individuals, when one faces a tyrant, a bully, or an oppressor, the temptation is always to fight with the same weapons. The cruel man makes others cruel in self-defense. The liar teaches others to deceive in return. The violent man provokes violence in his victims. This is the trap of imitation: to resist evil, one risks becoming like it. Hitler, with his cold clarity, named this trap as the true strength of tyranny.

But we must not yield to despair. History also gives us examples of those who resisted without imitation. Consider Mahatma Gandhi, who stood against the vast might of the British Empire without taking up its violence. His creed of nonviolence became a shield stronger than swords, because it denied tyranny the power to replicate itself. Likewise, Nelson Mandela, after decades in prison, emerged not with bitterness but with reconciliation, refusing to let apartheid’s cruelty make him cruel in return. Their victories proved that the tyrant’s greatest weapon—imitation—can be broken by steadfastness of spirit.

The lesson is clear: beware of becoming what you oppose. When confronted by cruelty, do not let cruelty take root in you. When faced with lies, do not let falsehoods become your tongue. When threatened by fear, do not let fear dictate your choices. The tyrant’s strength lies not in his armies, but in your surrender to his image. True resistance is not only the fight against his power but the refusal to let him shape your soul.

Practically, this means living with vigilance and discipline. In politics, defend freedom without adopting the tactics of oppression. In personal life, resist injustice without letting anger make you unjust. Teach your children that strength is not found in mirroring the oppressor, but in standing firm in truth, compassion, and courage. For in doing so, you deny tyranny its greatest victory—the power to make you its reflection.

So let this saying, though born in darkness, become for us a lamp of warning: “The great strength of the totalitarian state is that it forces those who fear it to imitate it.” Pass it down not as praise, but as caution. Tell the next generation: “Do not imitate what you despise. Guard your soul, even in struggle.” For though armies rise and empires fall, the true battle is always within, and the greatest victory is to remain uncorrupted in the face of fear.