Quotes by Natan Sharansky

About Natan Sharansky:

Natan Sharansky is a Soviet-born Israeli politician, human rights activist and author who spent nine years in Soviet prisons for allegedly spying for the American Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Natan Sharansky has served as Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency since June 2009.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

This scepticism is the same scepticism I heard a generation ago in the USSR when few thought that a democratic transformation behind the iron curtain was possible.

Natan Sharansky

Free societies are societies in which the right of dissent is protected.

Natan Sharansky

Of course, there can be serious injustices within free societies.

Natan Sharansky

It is important to remember that some of the most serious thinkers once thought that democracy was not compatible with the cultures of Germany, Italy, Japan, Latin America and Russia.

Natan Sharansky

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

Just as the 99% of Soviet citizens who supported the Soviet regime in 1985 was no indication of what the people inside the USSR really thought, the army of true believers that we think we see in the Arab world is an illusion.

Natan Sharansky

It is not surprising, then, that in the decade since Oslo began, Arafat used all the resources placed at his disposal to fan the flames of hatred against Israel.

Natan Sharansky

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

Natan Sharansky

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

There were no dissidents then in the USSR because they were all killed.

Natan Sharansky

I was inspired to write this book by those who are sceptical of the power of freedom to change the world.

Natan Sharansky

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

By helping readers understand these mechanics, I hope they will appreciate why freedom is for everyone, why it is essential for our security and why the free world plays a critically important role in advancing democracy around the globe.

Natan Sharansky

Believe me, the drug of freedom is universally potent.

Natan Sharansky

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 ...

Natan Sharansky

I am optimistic that peace can be achieved in the region because I believe that every society on earth can be free and that if freedom comes to the Middle East, there can be peace.

Natan Sharansky

On the other hand, if the free world is concerned with how a new Palestinian leader governs, then the peace process will have a real chance to succeed.

Natan Sharansky

In contrast, fear societies are societies in which dissent is banned.

Natan Sharansky

Can someone within that society walk into the town square and say what they want without fear of being punished for his or her views? If so, then that society is a free society. If not, it is a fear society.

Natan Sharansky

People may believe that there can be a society where dissent is not permitted, but which is nonetheless not a fear society because everyone agrees with one another and therefore no one wants to dissent.

Natan Sharansky

Author Bio

  • NameNatan Sharansky
  • DescriptionIsraeli politician
  • BornJanuary 20, 1948
  • CountrySoviet Union; Israel
  • ProfessionPolitician; Writer; Mathematician; Human Rights Activist
  • AwardsPresidential Medal Of Freedom; Ronald Reagan Freedom Award