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Quote by Howard Zinn

“I believe that it is preferable sometimes to have one candidate rather another candidate, while you understand that that is not the solution. Sometimes the lesser evil is not so lesser, so you want to ignore that, and you either do not vote or vote for third party as a protest against the party system.”

Quote by Howard Zinn

Author

American historian known for his critical analysis of historical events and advocacy for social justice. His work emphasizes the connection between history and contemporary social issues, particularly focusing on the role of ordinary people in the historical process. more

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“Sometimes the difference between two candidates is an important one in the immediate sense, and then I believe trying to get somebody into office, who is a little better, who is less dangerous, is understandable. But never forgetting that no matter who gets into office, the crucial question is not who is in office, but what kind of social movement do you have. Because if you have a powerful social movement, it doesn't matter who is in office.”

Ifs Trying Believe Kind Littles Two Important Sometimes Matter I Believe Social Differences Forget Powerful Dangerous Movement Office Candidates Never Forget Crucial Social Movements

Author:Howard Zinn

“Richard Nixon was not the lesser evil, he was the greater evil, but in his administration the war was finally brought to an end, because he had to deal with the power of the anti-war movement as well as the power of the Vietnamese movement. I will vote, but always with a caution that voting is not crucial, and organizing is the important thing.”

Wells Important War Ends Evil Deals Greater Movement Vote Important Things Administration Voting Crucial Anti War Caution Vietnamese Lesser Evil Anti War Movement

Author:Howard Zinn

“When some people ask me about voting, they would say will you support this candidate or that candidate? I say: "I will support this candidate for one minute that I am in the voting booth. At that moment I will support A versus B, but before I am going to the voting booth, and after I leave the voting booth, I am going to concentrate on organizing people and not organizing electoral campaign."”

People Moments Asks Support Minutes Campaigns Ask Me Candidates Voting That Moment Versus One Minute

Author:Howard Zinn

“Majorities can be wrong, majorities can overrule rights of minorities. If majorities ruled, we could still have slavery. 80% of the population once enslaved 20% of the population. While run by majority rule that is ok. That is very flawed notion of what democracy is. Democracy has to take into account several things - proportionate requirements of people, not just needs of the majority, but also needs of the minority. Majority, especially in societies where the media manipulates public opinion, can be totally wrong and evil. People have to act according to conscience and not by majority vote.”

“One of the problems with dealing with anarchism is that there are many people whose ideas are anarchist, but who do not necessarily call themselves anarchists.”

People Ideas Problem Anarchism Anarchist

Author:Howard Zinn

“If we trace origins of anarchism in the United States, then probably Henry David Thoreau is the closest you can come to an early American anarchist. You do not really encounter anarchism until after the Civil War, when you have European anarchists, especially German anarchists, coming to the United States. They actually begin to organize. The first time that anarchism has an organized force and becomes publicly known in the United States is in Chicago at the time of Haymarket Affair.”

Ifs Firsts War States Force United Known United States First Time Affair Civil War Encounters Organized Chicago Closest Organize Anarchism Anarchist David Thoreau

Author:Howard Zinn

“Transcendentalism is, we might say, an early form of anarchism. The Transcendentalists also did not call themselves anarchists, but there are anarchist ideas in their thinking and in their literature. They were all suspicious of authority. We might say that the Transcendentalism played a role in creating an atmosphere of skepticism towards authority, towards government.”

Thinking Ideas Government Might Form Literature Roles Authority Creating Atmosphere Skepticism Suspicious Anarchism Anarchist Transcendentalism

Author:Howard Zinn

“The term anarchism has become associated with two phenomena with which real anarchist don't want to associate themselves with. One is violence, and the other is disorder or chaos. The popular conception of anarchism is on the one hand bomb-throwing and terrorism, and on the other hand no rules, no regulations, no discipline, everybody does what they want, confusion, etc. That is why there is a reluctance to use the term anarchism.”

Want Doe Two Real Use Hands Term Violence Discipline Chaos Terrorism Confusion Bombs Etc Conception Disorder Throwing Regulation Associates Anarchism Anarchist Reluctance

Author:Howard Zinn

“No doubt that anarchist ideas are frightening to those in power. People in power can tolerate liberal ideas. They can tolerate ideas that call for reforms, but they cannot tolerate the idea that there will be no state, no central authority. So it is very important for them to ridicule the idea of anarchism to create this impression of anarchism as violent and chaotic. It is useful for them.”

People Important Ideas States Doubt Authority Violent Impression Reform No Doubt Frightening Tolerate Ridicule Anarchism Anarchist Chaotic

Author:Howard Zinn

“There is one central characteristic of anarchism on the matter of means, and that central principle is a principle of direct action - of not going through the forms that the society offers you, of representative government, of voting, of legislation, but directly taking power.”

Mean Matter Government Action Form Principles Offers Direct Characteristics Voting Representatives Legislation Anarchism Direct Action Representative Government

Author:Howard Zinn