Society and the World

A city whose future rulers are the least eager to rule will necessarily be the best governed and freest from strife, and the one with opposite rulers the worst.

A freeman ought not to be a slave in the acquisition of knowledge of any kind. Bodily exercise, when compulsory, does no harm to the body; but knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.

The arc of a moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.

The arc of a moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

Revolution is not the uprising against pre-existing order, but the setting-up of a new order contradictory to the traditional one.

Revolution is not the uprising against pre-existing order, but the setting-up of a new order contradictory to the traditional one.

One ought not to be obstinate, except when one ought to be; but when one ought to be, then one ought to be unshakable.

You cannot buy the revolution. You cannot make the revolution. You can only be the revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere.

You cannot buy the revolution. You cannot make the revolution. You can only be the revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere.

There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into an abyss of injustice where they experience the blackness of corroding despair.

Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.

Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.

I consider that in no government power can be abused long. Mankind will not bear it. If a sovereign oppresses his people to a great degree, they will rise and cut off his head. There is a remedy in human nature against tyranny, that will keep us safe under every form of government.

I consider that in no government power can be abused long. Mankind will not bear it. If a sovereign oppresses his people to a great degree, they will rise and cut off his head. There is a remedy in human nature against tyranny, that will keep us safe under every form of government.

I consider that in no government power can be abused long. Mankind will not bear it. If a sovereign oppresses his people to a great degree, they will rise and cut off his head. There is a remedy in human nature against tyranny, that will keep us safe under every form of government.

Activism is the rent I pay for living on the planet.

Activism is the rent I pay for living on the planet.

Sometimes we are blessed with being able to choose the time, and the arena, and the manner of our revolution, but more usually we must do battle where we are standing.

If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

One of the chief virtues of a democracy, however, is that its defects are always visible, and under democratic processes can be pointed out and corrected.

One of the chief virtues of a democracy, however, is that its defects are always visible, and under democratic processes can be pointed out and corrected.

The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.