Our Cause grows better in a repressive environment.

He (Abdul Baha) replied that, "In principle, we prefer freedom as it is one of the divine blessings and pleases God. However, this is not because freedom helps with the diffusion and propagation of our Cause, as it is the opposite — namely, our Cause grows better in a repressive environment."

https://bahai-library.com/qazvini_abdulbaha_prominent_iranians