But even friendship can hardly exist when every white man is a cog in the wheels of despotism.
 George Orwell, Burmese Days (1934). copy citation

add
Author George Orwell
Source Burmese Days
Topic friendship despotism
Date 1934
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200051.txt

Context

“It is a world in which every word and every thought is censored. In England it is hard even to imagine such an atmosphere. Everyone is free in England; we sell our souls in public and buy them back in private, among our friends. But even friendship can hardly exist when every white man is a cog in the wheels of despotism. Free speech is unthinkable. All other kinds of freedom are permitted. You are free to be a drunkard, an idler, a coward, a backbiter, a fornicator; but you are not free to think for yourself. Your opinion on every subject of any conceivable importance is dictated for you by the pukka sahibs' code.” source