“Unfortunately not only were the rulers, who were considered supernatural beings, benefited by having the peoples in subjection, but as a result of the belief in, and during the rule of, these pseudodivine beings, ever larger and larger circles of people grouped and established themselves around them, and under an appearance of governing took advantage of the people. And when the old deception of a supernatural and God-appointed authority had dwindled away these men were only concerned to devise a new one which like its predecessor should make it possible to hold the people in bondage to a limited number of rulers.”

— Leo Tolstoy , A Letter to a Hindu

Source: A Letter to a Hindu (1908), III

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Leo Tolstoy 456

Russian writer 1828–1910

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