This reminds me of a comment from the book "Postwar: a History of Europe between 1945 to 1989". Many oppressive governments that sprang up were initially suppor

This reminds me of a comment from the book "Postwar: a History of Europe between 1945 to 1989". Many oppressive governments that sprang up were initially supported by the learned classes. The quote is as follows: "Totalitarianism can never truly succeed without the support of the intellectuals" I'd like to point out that even religious totalitarianism usually displays this trait as well by co-opting the theological intellectuals, so this dynamic plays out again and again on both the liberal and conservative sides of history.