Archive

Quotes

Who draws his sword against his prince must throw away the scabbard.

—James Howell, 1659

Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.

—Benjamin Franklin, 1776

No one makes a revolution by himself, and there are some revolutions which humanity accomplishes without quite knowing how, because it is everybody who takes them in hand.

—George Sand, 1851

Insurrection of thought always precedes insurrection of arms.

—Wendell Phillips, 1859

All modern revolutions have ended in a reinforcement of the power of the state.

—Albert Camus, 1951

I have been ever of the opinion that revolutions are not to be evaded.

—Benjamin Disraeli, 1844

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, 1791

All civilization has from time to time become a thin crust over a volcano of revolution.

—Havelock Ellis, 1921

All revolutions devour their own children.

—Ernst Röhm, 1933

Revolution can never be forecast; it cannot be foretold; it comes of itself. Revolution is brewing and is bound to flare up.

—Vladimir Lenin, 1918

The peasants alone are revolutionary, for they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The starving peasant, outside the class system, is the first among the exploited to discover that only violence pays. For him there is no compromise, no possible coming to terms. 

—Frantz Fanon, 1961

Revolutions are always verbose.

—Leon Trotsky, 1933

Revolutionaries are greater sticklers for formality than conservatives.

—Italo Calvino, 1957