Ken Livingstone Quotes

Bin Laden always wanted to get rid of Mubarek and Ben Ali and Gaddafi and so on, claiming that they were all infidels working for America, and in fact, it was millions of ordinary people who peacefully, more or less - certainly in the case of Tunisia and Egypt - got rid of them.

I just long for the day I wake up and find that the Saudi royal family are swinging from lampposts and that they've got a proper government that represents the people of Saudi Arabia.

When Tunisians overthrew Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 29 days and Egyptians Hosni Mubarak in 18 days, it was an appropriate rebuke to dictators and Bin Laden.

It's interesting to me that the Arab Spring started in Tunisia, and in the marches, people were singing 'Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights.'

Revolution is indeed a violent process. But if it is to result only in a change of dictatorship, in a shifting of names and political personalities, then it is hardly worth while.

Every revolution, bloody or not, has two phases. The first phase is defined by the struggle for freedom, the second by the struggle for power and revenge on the votaries of the ancien regime.

The 'Arab Spring' is the most spectacular example of the dispersal of power.

Sometimes democracy must be bathed in blood.

Russia probably knows the true cost of revolutions better than most other countries.

I shall not lick the hand besmeared with the blood of my children, sisters, and brothers.

Death to Pharaoh!

Cut off their heads! Burn their houses down!

Let us strangle the last king with the guts of the last priest.

Not one rebel or many rebels can change a government by force.

The Welfare Party will come to power either peacefully or with bloodshed.

Revolution is engendered by an indignation with tyranny, yet is itself pregnant with tyranny

I never wanted the government to feel my pain. I wanted it to feel my boot in its butt.

The poor man … will be swayed by his sense of injury against the men who try to hold what they have improperly won… the most awful passions will be let loose.

I’ll take my short revolver And my bandolier of lead, And live or die I can but try To avenge my country’s dead …. I’ve always hated slavery Since the day that I was born So I’m of to join the IRA And I’m off tomorrow morn

The Arab Spring reminds me a bit of the decolonisation process where one country gets independence, and everybody else wants it.

The people will not rest until the Pahlavi rule has been swept away and all traces of tyranny have disappeared. As long as the Shah's satanic power prevails, not a single true representative of the people can possibly be elected.

All revolutions are treason until they are accomplished.

Capitalists, if you think that you can play footsies with these people, you're wrong. They will come for you and drag you into the streets and kill you.

It is a revolution that came to power with its own army and on the ruins of the army of oppression.

A government creates its own revolution. There can be no revolt without it.