I have been ever of the opinion that revolutions are not to be evaded.
—Benjamin Disraeli, 1844Quotes
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, 1791Revolutionaries are greater sticklers for formality than conservatives.
—Italo Calvino, 1957Revolution begins in putting on bright colors.
—Tennessee Williams, 1944All successful revolutions are the kicking in of a rotten door. The violence of revolutions is the violence of men who charge into a vacuum.
—John Kenneth Galbraith, 1977Who draws his sword against his prince must throw away the scabbard.
—James Howell, 1659The children of the revolution are always ungrateful, and the revolution must be grateful that it is so.
—Ursula K. Le Guin, 1983Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made—through disobedience and through rebellion.
—Oscar Wilde, 1891Revolutions are not about trifles, but they are produced by trifles.
—Aristotle, c. 350 BCAll men recognize the right of revolution, that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable.
—Henry David Thoreau, 1849Revolutions are celebrated when they are no longer dangerous.
—Pierre Boulez, 1989The only justification of rebellion is success.
—Thomas B. Reed, 1878This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.
—Abraham Lincoln, 1861