Those who give the first shock to a state are the first overwhelmed in its ruin; the fruits of public commotion are seldom enjoyed by him who was the first mover; he only beats the water for another’s net.
—Michel de Montaigne, 1580Quotes
Revolution begins in putting on bright colors.
—Tennessee Williams, 1944Governments are not overthrown by the poor, who have no power, but by the rich—when they are insulted by their inferiors and cannot obtain justice.
—Dionysius of Halicarnassus, c. 20 BCWho draws his sword against his prince must throw away the scabbard.
—James Howell, 1659The brutalities of progress are called revolutions. When they are over we realize this: that the human has been roughly handled, but that it has advanced.
—Victor Hugo, 1862Revolutions are always verbose.
—Leon Trotsky, 1933Every revolution by force only puts more violent means of enslavement into the hands of the persons in power.
—Leo Tolstoy, 1893All revolutions devour their own children.
—Ernst Röhm, 1933If there was ever a just war since the world began, it is this in which America is now engaged.
—Thomas Paine, 1778An oppressed people are authorized, whenever they can, to rise and break their fetters.
—Henry Clay, 1842There is a kind of revolution of so general a character that it changes the mental tastes as well as the fortunes of the world.
—La Rochefoucauld, 1665All modern revolutions have ended in a reinforcement of the power of the state.
—Albert Camus, 1951If not us, who? If not now, when?
—Czech slogan, 1989