The quote highlights the belief that the emergence of a dictatorship cannot solely be blamed on powerful corporations or their manipulative leaders. Instead, it places responsibility on ordinary citizens, like Doremus Jessup, who fail to actively oppose the rise of tyranny. This criticism emphasizes a collective apathy toward political engagement, suggesting that a lack of strong resistance from the public allows authoritarian figures to gain power.

The author, Sinclair Lewis, points to the challenge of complacency among individuals who, despite understanding the threats posed by demagogues, do not take sufficient action to prevent them. This calls for a sense of responsibility among citizens to rise against injustice, indicating that a society can only safeguard its democracy through the active involvement of its members.