Revolution, n. In politics, an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.
—Ambrose Bierce, 1911
Revolutions have never lightened the burden of tyranny: they only shifted it to another
shoulder.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1903
Revolution is a trivial shift in the emphasis of suffering; the capacity for self-indulgence
changes hands.
—Tom Stoppard, 1966
Revolution evaporates, and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy.
—Franz Kafka, 1920
It is doubtful if the oppressed ever fight for freedom. They fight for pride and power –
power to oppress others.
—Eric Hoffer, 1951
The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is
what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.
—H. L. Mencken, 1949
Constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it.
—Montesquieu, 1748
Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order
always means getting other people under your control.
—Denis Diderot, 1796
The psychopaths are always around. In calm times we study them, but in times of upheaval,
they rule over us.
—Ernst Kretschner, 1963
He who fights with monsters should be careful to not become one.
—Friedrich Nietzsche, 1886
Every revolutionary ends up as an oppressor or a heretic.
—Albert Camus, 1951
The revolution, like Saturn, will successively devour its children, and finally produce
despotism.
—Pierre Vergniaud, 1793
27
Whether a revolution succeeds or miscarries, men of great hearts will always be the victims.
—Heinrich Heine, 1834
The unselfish and the intelligent may begin a movement – but it passes away from them.
They are not the leaders of the revolution. They are its victims.
—Joseph Conrad, 1911
27
This prediction was confirmed, in just a few months, by author’s own fate.
158
On Society and Solitude, Liberty and Civilization
—Ambrose Bierce, 1911
Revolutions have never lightened the burden of tyranny: they only shifted it to another
shoulder.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1903
Revolution is a trivial shift in the emphasis of suffering; the capacity for self-indulgence
changes hands.
—Tom Stoppard, 1966
Revolution evaporates, and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy.
—Franz Kafka, 1920
It is doubtful if the oppressed ever fight for freedom. They fight for pride and power –
power to oppress others.
—Eric Hoffer, 1951
The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is
what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.
—H. L. Mencken, 1949
Constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it.
—Montesquieu, 1748
Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order
always means getting other people under your control.
—Denis Diderot, 1796
The psychopaths are always around. In calm times we study them, but in times of upheaval,
they rule over us.
—Ernst Kretschner, 1963
He who fights with monsters should be careful to not become one.
—Friedrich Nietzsche, 1886
Every revolutionary ends up as an oppressor or a heretic.
—Albert Camus, 1951
The revolution, like Saturn, will successively devour its children, and finally produce
despotism.
—Pierre Vergniaud, 1793
27
Whether a revolution succeeds or miscarries, men of great hearts will always be the victims.
—Heinrich Heine, 1834
The unselfish and the intelligent may begin a movement – but it passes away from them.
They are not the leaders of the revolution. They are its victims.
—Joseph Conrad, 1911
27
This prediction was confirmed, in just a few months, by author’s own fate.
158
On Society and Solitude, Liberty and Civilization