Why do people tolerate oppression?
By Awinds
@Awinds (2468)
United States
July 11, 2011 4:37pm CST
Justice and liberty are praised virtues. We cite the American Revolution as a successful rebellion against the oppression of the British empire. At the time of the start of the French Revolution, there were many Americans who saw it in a positive light - they saw it as the oppressed rising for the end goals of justice and liberty. We read novels about gallant heroes that refuse to be exploited by the forces of evil.
Yet it seems most of the time people tolerate oppression. There is oppression in Cuba, North Korea, India and some extent China, but no revolution. Individuals have oppression to - whether that be a domineering boss or a controlling relative.
Many people praise justice and fairness, and still more are quite capable of complaining about their circumstances. But actually doing something about the oppression is rare - it seems that many people are just willing to tolerate it.
How can humans - a creature that yearns for freedom - be so adept at tolerating oppression?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
11 Jul 11
It's a matter of personal survival. A rebellion or revolution always comes at a cost of life. I think that, unless the oppression is unbearable, or unless the tension builds to a point where it has to be expressed, human beings will not resist because of personal danger. Those who do are rightly called heroes, because they are willing to give up their lives and sometimes the lives of those they love, for the good of many.
1 person likes this
@polaris77 (2040)
• Bacau, Romania
12 Jul 11
I guess people need to enjoy a certain of degree of freedom,and when that freedom is taken away from them it would be normal to stand up and fight for their friends,as it happened in many occasions throughout history,but not all of them have the courage and determination to do that,and there can only be one reason why so many accept to live under oppressive regimes:fear of the consequences of their acts.I think many people feel discouraged at the thought that they and their families might be beaten,tortured,even killed if they dared to fight for their cause,so they prefer to accept being oppressed and humiliated just to be sure they will live.The only solution for those people is to overcome their fear and fight for their rights at any cost,if they want to make a difference.
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@Awinds (2468)
• United States
13 Jul 11
It does seem that if people have at least a scarp of freedom, they will tolerate oppression. They will also live with it because of the intense fear. It seems that until the oppressive regime moves and starts killing what they were afraid of losing in the first place - it is only then that they are willing to rise up.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
17 Jul 11
That's the whole point,maybe freedom is a concept and not something we were born with. It is our right but we Have to express a desire for it or we will not get it. It is like love. We All have the right to love and be loved , but if you don't look for it , you will never get it. Many just assume the way things are is tradition and can not be changed. Or they don't feel oppressed. To us looking in it is horrible but them it is normal. they don;t know what freedom would feel like and they have no desire to seek it.
@PumpkinThePIE (217)
• Canada
11 Jul 11
They're scared... if you are oppressed then obviously someone has power over you. Power makes people scared. So, they choose not to act in fear of being punished by the strong power. Usually it stays this way, which allows the oppressors to stay in power for a long long time. It takes a while for someone to get the courage to speak out and do something.
1 person likes this
@knoodleknight18 (917)
• United States
12 Jul 11
Because often times a life of oppression is often more promising than possible alternatives which often include no life. In most cases the more mild the oppression the less people will do to change it and the less likely they are to live to see change the less likely they are to rise up against even a great oppression. Even in the most extreme cases through history such as slavery and the holocaust the oppressed people eventually rose up and would fight those in power. It's just the more people have to lose in rising up the slower (or less likely) they are to do so. If you have your basic needs met, a family, and some luxuries, you have a lot more at risk than person who is awaiting a mass execution with almost no food or water to live on.
There's actually a lot of irony in it all, especially as you stated it. A country that rebelled against it's oppressors, yet still allowed slavery...
Hard to believe that was as much over freedom as it was about not paying taxes to Britain. Now that It's a pretty sick reflection upon the current state of the same country.
@Awinds (2468)
• United States
13 Jul 11
I know. Your response also highlights another point: people are fickle. What one generation is willing to another might not be. What one individual is willing to do, another may not be. You also bring up a good point about the hypocrisy - to fight fore freedom and then turn around and deny others their freedom.
1 person likes this
@Collegetermpapers (22)
• Pakistan
12 Jul 11
Well the main reason for people to tolerate oppression is that they have no other choice! Take the example of a boss and his employee.The employee has to do what ever the boss says because its his way or the highway!
@ebuscat (5935)
• Philippines
12 Jul 11
For me they don't have a choice because they want it but the government don't do it in there deeds and it is became worst because is Satan is active now.
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
12 Jul 11
You have to remember that humans and governments have to protect their self-interests first. Though as you said, justice and liberty are the core of your nation's identity, there are times when aggression and provoking other countries to follow your example will spark an enmity between two countries. America might be the superpower of the world but it cannot afford to fight wars and topple other people's government just because it sees something that it doesn't like in other countries.
Perhaps the UN can help though it deals more on diplomacy and sanctions. The debate is on whether the said sanction are effective or not but America today cannot be the 'police of the world' if the country itself is vulnerable to attacks. Add to that the social issues that your country faces. As a saying in my coutnry goes 'Fix your backyard first before you mess with others.'
@Awinds (2468)
• United States
12 Jul 11
I apologize - I should have been more clear up there. First let me say that I do not approve of what my country is doing right now. If I had my way, we would be pulling out of the Middle East this minute. I think it best to let others countries be - even if there is oppression. It is not that my heart does not go out for those people, but by what right do we have to interfere outside of our borders? The moral line is just to thin. Besides, look at what happens every time we do. The people of that country become to reliant on us or they hate us and the war drags and on and on. We only make the situation in that country worse. We also get the international community to hate us more.
I am not one of those Americans that waves my flag and screams that my country is the best in the world. We have issues and we are doing a rubbish job of fixing them.
Anyway, to get back on track, I am simply asking why people in those countries tolerate the oppression. For example in North Korea, there is oppression, but the people tolerate it rather than have a revolution. Why is that? You would think that the human drive to have freedom would cause them to do the opposite.
