History has seen this movie before. 1880s Late Imperial Russia: Fear of dissent led to tighter control over universities. That alienated students and scholars, weakened trust in the state, and produced more dissent. 1930s Nazi Germany: Fear of disloyalty led to purges, banned ideas, and loyalty tests. That drove out talent, weakened universities, and made the regime even more dependent on loyalty over truth. 1960s China’s Cultural Revolution: Fear of independent thought led to attacks on teachers, schools, and universities. The result was an entire Lost Generation. The spiral: Fear brings control. Control drives out talent. Lost talent weakens education. Weaker education weakens the state. A weaker state becomes more fearful—and tightens control again.