“ An illusion can become a half-truth, a mask can alter the expression of a face. ”
George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius (1941). copy citation
| Author | George Orwell |
|---|---|
| Source | The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius |
| Topic | illusion truth |
| Date | 1941 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and... |
Context
“Everyone believes in his heart that the law can be, ought to be, and, on the whole, will be impartially administered. The totalitarian idea that there is no such thing as law, there is only power, has never taken root. Even the intelligentsia have only accepted it in theory.
An illusion can become a half-truth, a mask can alter the expression of a face. The familiar arguments to the effect that democracy is “just the same as” or “just as bad as” totalitarianism never take account of this fact. All such arguments boil down to saying that half a loaf is the same as no bread.”
source
