All modern revolutions have ended in a reinforcement of the power of the state.
—Albert Camus, 1951Quotes
And then, sir, there is this consideration: that if the abuse be enormous, nature will rise up and, claiming her original rights, overturn a corrupt political system.
—Samuel Johnson, 1791In revolutions men fall and rise. Long before this war is over, much as you hear me praised now, you may hear me cursed and insulted.
—William Tecumseh Sherman, 1864Revolutions have never lightened the burden of tyranny, they have only shifted it to another shoulder.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1903I have been ever of the opinion that revolutions are not to be evaded.
—Benjamin Disraeli, 1844Revolutions are not made by men in spectacles.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1871Revolutionaries are greater sticklers for formality than conservatives.
—Italo Calvino, 1957All revolutions devour their own children.
—Ernst Röhm, 1933To escape its wretched lot, the populace has three ways, two imaginary and one real. The first two are the rum shop and the church; the third is the social revolution.
—Mikhail Bakunin, 1871If not us, who? If not now, when?
—Czech slogan, 1989The spirit of revolution, the spirit of insurrection, is a spirit radically opposed to liberty.
—François Guizot, 1830The 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, 1862To cast aside obedience, and by popular violence to incite revolt, is treason, not against man only, but against God.
—Pope Leo XIII, 1885