Home / Quotes / Quote by Alexander Herzen

Quote by Alexander Herzen

“Liberalism, austere in political trifles, has learned ever more artfully to unite a constant protest against the government with a constant submission to it.”

Quote by Alexander Herzen

Author

Alexander Herzen

Alexander Herzen (April 6, 1812 - January 21, 1870) was a prominent Russian writer, thinker, and social activist, known as one of the pioneers of the Russian democratic movement. His works deeply revealed the contradictions and problems of the Russian society at that time, and had a profound impact on the Russian literary and intellectual circles. more

You May Also Like

“To build a city where it is impossible to build a city is madness in itself, but to build there one of the most elegant and grandest of cities is the madness of genius.”

Cities Impossible Genius Madness Elegant Venice

Author:Alexander Herzen

“A politician, he knows that the majority cares little for ideals or integrity. What it craves is display.”

Littles Care Integrity Ideals Majority Display Crave

Author:Emma Goldman

“We Americans claim to be a peace-loving people. We hate bloodshed; we are opposed to violence. Yet we go into spasms of joy over the possibility of projecting dynamite bombs from flying machines upon helpless citizens.”

People Joy Hate Violence Possibility Citizens Machines Claims Flying Bombs Helpless Bloodshed Dynamite Flying Machines

Book:Emma Goldman

Source: Emma Goldman

“How long would authority ... exist, if not for the willingness of the mass to become soldiers, policemen, jailers, and hangmen.”

Ifs Long Authority Mass Soldier Willingness Policemen Hangman Jailer

Book:Anarchism: Top Crime Collections

Source: Anarchism: Top Crime Collections

“Social and economic well-being will become a reality only through the zeal, courage, the non-compromising determination of intelligent minorities, and not through the mass.”

Wells Reality Social Economic Mass Determination Intelligent Compromise Well Being Minorities Zeal

Book:Anarchism: Top Crime Collections

Source: Anarchism: Top Crime Collections

“Conceit, arrogance, and egotism are the essentials of patriotism.”

Essentials Arrogance Patriotism Patriotic Egotism Conceit Patriotism And Nationalism Anti Patriotism

Book:Anarchism and Other Essays

Source: Anarchism and Other Essays

“The people are urged to be patriotic ... by sacrificing their own children. Patriotism requires allegience to the flag, which means obedience and readiness to kill father, mother, brother, sister.”

People Mean Children Mother Father Sacrifice Brother Obedience Patriotic Flags Readiness Brother Sister Father Mother

Book:Emma Goldman

Source: Emma Goldman

“The experience of every-day life fully proves that the armed individual is invariably anxious to try his strength. The same is historically true of governments. Really peaceful countries do not waste life and energy in war preparations, with the result that peace is maintained.”

Trying War Country Government Individual Energy Results Prove Waste Peaceful Preparation Anxious Day Life Peaceful Country

Book:Anarchism: Top Crime Collections

Source: Anarchism: Top Crime Collections

“The powers know that the people at large are like children whose despair, sorrow, and tears can be turned into joy with a little toy. ... An army and navy represents the people's toys.”

People Knows Children Littles Joy Tears Sorrow Despair Army Toys Navy

Book:Anarchism and Other Essays

Source: Anarchism and Other Essays

“We shall soon be obliged to meet in cellars, or in darkened rooms with closed doors, and speak in whispers lest our next door neighbors should hear that freeborn citizens dare not speak in the open.”

Should Next Speak Rooms Doors Citizens Dare Neighbor Obliged Closed Doors Cellars Next Door Neighbors

Book:Emma Goldman: Making speech free, 1902-1909

Source: Emma Goldman: Making speech free, 1902-1909