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Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi Books

Burmese Politician

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“Within a system which denies the existence of basic human rights, fear tends to be the order of the day. Fear of imprisonment, fear of torture, fear of death, fear of losing friends, family, property or means of livelihood, fear of poverty, fear of isolation, fear of failure. A most insidious form of fear is that which masquerades as common sense or even wisdom, condemning as foolish, reckless, insignificant or futile the small, daily acts of courage which help to preserve man's self-respect and inherent human dignity. It is not easy for a people conditioned by fear under the iron rule of the principle that might is right to free themselves from the enervating miasma of fear. Yet even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises up again and again, for fear is not the natural state of civilized man.”

FearFreedomCivilizationDignityHuman RightsOppressionSelf RespectDictatorship
Book:Freedom from Fear
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“Weak logic, inconsistencies and alienation from the people are common features of authoritarianism. The relentless attempts of totalitarian regimes to prevent free thought and new ideas and the persistent assertion of their own rightness bring on them an intellectual stasis which they project on to the nation at large. Intimidation and propaganda work in a duet of oppression, while the people, lapped in fear and distrust, learn to dissemble and to keep silent.”

PeopleIdeasNationsCommonProjectsIntellectualWeakLogicSilentOppressionFeaturesPropagandaRegimesNew IdeasDistrustPersistentAlienationRelentlessAssertionAuthoritarianismIntimidationLightnessInconsistencyFree ThoughtDuetsStasisTotalitarian Regimes
Author:Aung San Suu Kyi
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“It is man's vision of a world fit for rational, civilized humanity which leads him to dare and to suffer to build societies free from want and fear. Concepts such as truth, justice and compassion cannot be dismissed as trite when these are often the only bulwarks which stand against ruthless power.”

MenWorldWantSufferingHumanityJusticeCompassionVisionFitConceptsDareRationalCivilizedRuthless
Book:Freedom from Fear: And Other Writings
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“The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation's development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration.”

NeedsLittlesSpiritValuesOrderCoursesForceNationsProcessBornChanceViewsAttitudeConditionsPolicyMaterialsRevolutionDevelopmentShapesIntellectualAimInstitutionsConstantThreatConvictionImprovementGenuineReformOfficialsNeed A ChangeMental AttitudeRegenerationIniquityPosingQuintessential
Author:Aung San Suu Kyi
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“Solidarity is a beautiful word because it means that you reach out to those who are different from you and who have to cope with different circumstances because we recognize that we all share the same human needs and same values. It is the values that count most of all. The value of freedom of thought, the value of democratic practices, the value of respect for your fellow human beings.”

NeedsHumansMeanDifferentBeautifulValuesHuman BeingsPracticeShareCircumstancesFellowsDemocraticReach OutSolidarityFreedom Of ThoughtHuman NeedsBeautiful Words
Author:Aung San Suu Kyi
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“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes that 'if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression', human rights should be protected by the rule of law. That just laws which uphold human rights are the necessary foundation of peace and security would be denied only by closed minds which interpret peace as the silence of all opposition and security as the assurance of their own power.”

IfsMenShouldMindHumansWould BeLastsLawPeaceSilenceRightsSecurityUniversalFoundationHuman RightsTyrannyOppressionOppositionRebellionDeniedProtectedDeclarationCompelledAssuranceResortsRule Of LawRecoursePeace And SecurityClosed MindDeclaration Of Human Rights
Author:Aung San Suu Kyi
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“There is nothing to compare with the courage of ordinary people whose names are unknown and whose sacrifices pass unnoticed. The courage that dares without recognition, without the protection of media attention, is a courage that humbles and inspires and reaffirms our faith in humanity.”

PeopleHumanityNamesAttentionCourageSacrificeMediaInspireOrdinaryDareProtectionRecognitionCompareOrdinary PeopleUnnoticedOrdinarinessFaith In Humanity
Book:Letters From Burma
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“As the twentieth century draws to a close it has become obvious that material yardsticks alone cannot serve as an adequate measure of human well-being. Even as basic an issue as poverty has to be re-examined to take into account the psychological sense of deprivation that makes people feel poor.”

PeopleFeelsHumansWellsEnoughPoorPovertyIssuesCenturyMaterialsDrawsAccountsObviousPsychologicalWell BeingAdequateTwentieth CenturyDeprivationYardsticks
Book:Towards a true refuge
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“The act of willingly subtracting from one's own limited store of the good and the agreeable for the sake of adding to that of others reflects the understanding that individual happiness needs a base broader than the mere satisfaction of selfish passions. From there, it is not such a large step to the realization that respecting the susceptibilities and rights of others is as important as defending one's own susceptibilities and rights if civilized society is to be safeguarded.”

IfsNeedsImportantPassionIndividualUnderstandingStepsRightsMereSakeSatisfactionStoresSelfishRealizationCivilizedCivilized SocietySusceptibilityIndividual Happiness
Book:Towards a true refuge
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“Those who have to face persistent political persecution become highly politicized. Our lives take on a rhythm different from those who, on waking up in the morning, do not need to wonder who might have been arrested during the night and what further acts of blatant injustice might be committed against our people later during the day. Our antennae become highly sensitive to vibrations barely noticed by those whose everyday existence is removed from political struggle.”

PeopleNeedsHas BeensDifferentMightFacesPoliticalNightExistenceWonderMorningStruggleOur LivesWake UpEverydayInjusticeCommittedOppressionRhythmSensitiveWakingPersecutionMight Have BeenPersistentVibrationsArrestedWaking Up In The MorningPolitical Struggle
Author:Aung San Suu Kyi
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“While it is undeniable that many have been driven to immorality and crime by the need to survive, it is equally evident that the possession of a significant surplus of material goods has never been a guarantee against covetousness, rapacity and the infinite variety of vice and pain which spring from such passions. Indeed, it could be argued that the unrelenting compulsion of those who already have much to acquire even more has generated greater injustice, immorality and wretchedness than the cumulative effect of the struggles of the severely underprivileged to better their lot.”

NeedsHas BeensPainPassionPoorStruggleRichGreaterEffectsCrimeMaterialsSpringInfiniteInjusticeVicesPossessionDrivenSignificantVarietyAcquireGuaranteesGoodsEvidentCompulsionRich And PoorImmoralitySurplusCovetousnessWretchednessCumulativeUnrelentingUnderprivileged
Author:Aung San Suu Kyi
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“The main aim of the [political] dialogue should be to resolve the problems of the nation, not to find who is the winner and who is the loser. That's not what it's all about. It's to try and find an answer that is acceptable to all parties concerned, which would of course require some give and take.”

GivingShouldTryingProblemPoliticalCoursesNationsAnswersPartyConcernedAimDialogueWinnerResolveLoserAcceptableGive And TakePolitical Dialogue
Author:Aung San Suu Kyi
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