This article discusses a problem in the field of giftedness--the meaning and deployment of giftedness in authoritarian systems, or in declining, failing, or pseudo-democracies. This problem exists for much of the world's population yet seems to be relatively little discussed. The article opens with a consideration of what the problem is. It then discusses how widespread it is--it applies to most of the world's population. Indeed, much of what is discussed in teaching of the gifted, with regard to both content and pedagogy, truly can be applied fully only to those who live in relatively free countries, as wide-ranging creative and critical thinking may be suppressed in nondemocratic societies. The article then discusses the roles individuals can play in declining or non-free societies, and the defense mechanisms they use to justify certain roles. The article further discusses ways of teaching in various societies, and the risks these ways of teaching pose.