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Johann Most

Johann Most Quotes

Politician

Johann Most was a German-born American anarchist, journalist, and revolutionary. He was a prominent figure in the American labor movement and the anarchist movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known for his advocacy of direct action, Most played a significant role in the Haymarket Affair.

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Famous Johann Most Quotes

“If on the one side we do not harbor the illusion that the entire proletariat must be enlightened before it can be called into battle, so on the other we do not doubt that as much enlightenment as possible must be produced with oral and printed agitation.”

Ifs Sides Doubt Battle Enlightenment Illusion Enlightened Printed Harbors Proletariat Agitation

Author:Johann Most

“Above all, what socialist, without flushing with shame, maintains he is not a revolutionary? We say: none!.”

Shame Revolutionary Socialist Flushing

Author:Johann Most

“Our principle is: to prevent all command over man by his fellowmen, to, make state, government, laws, or whatsoever form of compulsion existing, a thing of the past, to establish full freedom for all. Anarchism means first and foremost freedom from all government.”

Men Firsts Mean States Government Past Form Law Principles Command Compulsion Anarchism State Government

Book:The Social Monster: A Paper on Communism and Anarchism

Source: The Social Monster: A Paper on Communism and Anarchism

“The aims of anarchists and true communists are identical.”

Aim Communist Identical Anarchist

Author:Johann Most

“Fortunately, no country was ever more suited for anarchist agitation than present-day America.”

Country America Anarchist Present Day Agitation

Author:Johann Most

“As set forth by theologians, the idea of 'God' is an argument that assumes its own conclusions, and proves nothing.”

Ideas Prove Argument Assuming Conclusion Agnostic Theologian

Author:Johann Most

“Anarchists are socialists because they want the improvement of society, and they are communists because they are convinced that such a transformation of society can only result from the establishment of a commonwealth of property.”

Want Results Transformation Property Convinced Improvement Communist Establishment Anarchist Commonwealth

Author:Johann Most

“'God' - as revealed in his book of edicts and narratives is practically an idiot. He has nothing to say that any sensible person should want to listen to.”

Want Should Persons Book Narrative Idiot Sensible Agnostic

Author:Johann Most

“We need do no more than repeat: only under communism does the individual become himself and lead his own life.”

Needs Doe Individual Communism Repeats

Author:Johann Most

“If we hope and even assume that the social question will be answered through communism, and not in this or that country but in the world, any thought of centralization must be a monstrosity.”

Ifs World Country Social Assuming Communism Monstrosity Centralization

Author:Johann Most

“Whoever looks at America will see: the ship is powered by stupidity, corruption, or prejudice.”

Looks America Stupid Prejudice Corruption Stupidity Ships

Author:Johann Most

“He who negates present society, and seeks social conditions based on the sharing of property, is a revolutionary whether he calls himself an anarchist or a communist.”

Social Conditions Property Revolutionary Communist Anarchist Social Conditions

Author:Johann Most

“It is the lash of hunger which compels the poor man to submit. In order to live he must sell - 'voluntarily' sell - himself every day and hour to the 'beast of property.'”

Men Order Hours Poor Sells Property Hunger Beast Submit Poor Man Lashes

Author:Johann Most

“Among all mental diseases that have been systematically inoculated into the human cranium, the religious pest is the most abominable.”

Humans Has Beens Religious Disease Agnostic Pests

Author:Johann Most

“The god of the Christians, as we have seen, is the god who makes promises only to break them; who sends them pestilence and disease in order to heal them; a god who demoralizes mankind in order to improve it. A god who created man after his own image, and still the origin of evil in man is not accredited to him.”

Men Stills Christian Order Evil Break Mankind Promise Disease Heal Agnostic Pestilence

Author:Johann Most

“Is anarchism desirable? Well, who does not seek freedom? What man, unless willing to declare himself in bondage, would care to call any control agreeable? Think about it!”

Thinking Men Wells Doe Care Willing Desirable Bondage Anarchism Anarchist

Author:Johann Most

“Anarchists prepare for social revolution and use every means - speech, writing, or deed, whichever is more to the point; to accelerate revolutionary development.”

Writing Mean Use Social Revolution Development Speech Deeds Revolutionary Anarchist Accelerate Very Mean Social Revolution

Author:Johann Most

“The existing system will be quickest and most radically overthrown by the annihilation of its exponents. Therefore, massacres of the enemies of the people must be set in motion.”

People Enemy Genocide Annihilation Massacres Exponents

Author:Johann Most

“Is anarchism possible? The failure of attempts to attain freedom does not mean the cause is lost.”

Mean Doe Lost Causes Anarchism

Author:Johann Most

About the Author

Born: February 5, 1846
Died: March 17, 1906
Known for: Politician
Quotes: 19

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Anarchist Agnostic Men Anarchism Communist Doe Mean Property Revolutionary Social

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The Social Monster: A Paper on Communism and AnarchismRelated source material

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