Marvin E. Frankel Quotes

Societies either roll on blindly to disaster or they find the inner strength to stop themselves long enough to find ways for reform from within.

Reforms are less to be dreaded than revolutions, for they cause less reaction.

Not only are there no free lunches, but there are no free systemic changes either.

Revolution is man's normal activity, and if he is wise he will grade it slowly so that it may be almost imperceptible - otherwise it will jerk in fits and starts and cause discomfort.

Reform is not a one-night stand.

When emotions are deeply stirred, progress must be gradual.

Real change happens a step at a time.

If you don’t have thirty years for a problem, don’t get involved in social policy.

Political activity means working for the future; the more we look into the future the more far-sighted will our policy be - so much the more clear and decided. The less far we try to see into the future, the more we content ourselves with the daily routine (Alltäglichkeit), the more weak and uncertain will be our policy of to-day. Every politician of note must, therefore endeavor out of the present to conclude what the future will be, and, if he wants to win the masses to his politics then he must attempt to make his expectations of the future plausible

Human society cannot, be changed in a year.

Incremental change will not solve this nation’s problems.

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.

Mere political reform will not cure the manifold evils which now afflict society. There requires a social reform, a domestic reform, an individual reform.

How much reform do you think this institution [Congress] can take?

… many think that changes and reforms can take place in a short time. I believe that we always need time to lay the foundations for real, effective change.

Successful reform requires a long-term vision, driven by political leadership.

These reforms will not be popular with everybody—especially those who are doing just fine under the present system.

No conventions and covenants can remake human nature in a day.

Old, deeply engrained systems take time to change, but we can't leave it to time.

People need to look beyond just the immediate victory... There are no permanent victories.

Creating deep and meaningful change in this country takes time - years and sometimes decades.

What we have got to do now is use this event, the resignation of the whole commission, to drive through root and branch reform.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days . . .nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardner objected that the tree was slow growing and wouldn't reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, "In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon!

If we can muster up that degree of commitment and get away from the uniquely American perception that if something can't be done immediately it isn't worth doing, then I think the Hunger Movement, this small but growing minority of us, can have a truly significant impact.