“And the turtles, of course, all the turtles are free. As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.”
– Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
Every year, the pro-democracy and anti-isolationist organization, Freedom House, produces their “Annual Freedom in the World” report detailing the state of political freedom worldwide. By 2023, continuing global declines affected the world for the 18th consecutive year. These declines came largely from ongoing armed conflicts and election interference. In 2022, Freedom House identified 57 world dictators who ruled over land deemed unfree, with nearly 40 percent of the world’s population living in such countries.
In Dr. Seuss’s 1958 book, “Yertle the Turtle”, Seuss warns of the problems of authoritarianism through the story of a King Turtle who abuses his subjects to grow his kingdom. Likening Yertle the Turtle to Hitler, both dictators grew their power through conquests: Hitler, during World War II, and Yertle, in Seuss’s first story. Two additional short stories about envy, pride, and arrogance round out the book. Suitable for children, from kindergarten through 4th grade, Yertle the Turtle provides another timeless lesson from Seuss’s growing library of children’s tales.
After taking power as the Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Hitler set out to expand his dominion by seizing territory first inside German-speaking countries, and then beyond. For six years, using military might and political manipulation, Hitler invaded and annexed dozens of European countries to enlarge his reign.
Like Hitler, Yertle, king of the pond, was unhappy with his small stone throne, unable to see the scope of his rule. Believing the higher he climbed, the more he would rule, he ordered his subjects to stack on each other's backs. As his throne rose, Yertle could see further and further his expanding kingdom. But like Hitler, Yertle’s pride precedeth his fall. The more the king claimed for himself, the more turtles he needed to oppress. And the higher he got, the bigger the fall.
Yet, like all empires, there are always those pesky dissidents. For Yertle, that was Mack, an average turtle, stuck at the bottom. Feeling the increasing weight of the stack, pain began to strike at Mack’s back, and he began to complain. Determined to stand up for himself, he petitioned Yertle to hear his plea for relief. But when none came, he inadvertently burped with such force that he caused the whole charade to tumble, knocking Yertle from his perch, and thus, relieving all the turtles of their struggle.
Dr. Seuss, always looking for ways to speak to children at their own level of understanding, used the tale of turtles to warn youngsters of bad government and the problem with authoritarianism. Repression can occur when a strong central power has too much control over others leading to human rights violations. And when too many citizens no longer have a voice in policymaking, they are too often condemned to various forms of mistreatment.
Like humans, all creatures, large and small, want to be free. To be free is to live one’s life as one sees fit, and not to be coerced by the whims of the ruler.
In 2024, nearly half the world's citizens will vote in elections where they will choose, once again, between good governance and abuse of power. Will there be enough dissidents to upend the global hegemony of an elite upper class? Only time will tell.
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