Jonah Goldberg on the brittleness of authoritarianism:

Authoritarian regimes are often very, very strong. But like marble they’re brittle. They can withstand enormous pressures, from within and without, but there’s no flexibility.

I’d say it’s like Aesop’s Oak and the Reed, except I think that’s a bit inapt as well. America ain’t no stinking reed. But to at least get some use out of the metaphor, authoritarian societies are like stands of oaks. They can withstand all the wind in the world so long as the wind isn’t very strong. A field of reeds can withstand any wind, because reeds bend while oaks rely on their strength and their strength alone.

And in there somewhere is the point. It’s not the bending of the reeds that’s relevant, it’s the oak’s reliance on a single factor that’s the problem with authoritarian societies. The answer to every problem is strength—as manifested in fear, intimidation, etc.

A great analogy for appreciating the resilience of liberalism. Like the reed from Aesop, open societies often feel in flux, moving back and forth trying to work through compromises and challenges, reacting fluidly to feedback. Totalitarian ones feel stable and strong when there’s minimal stress, until suddenly they crack.