John Jay Chapman Quotes

Only force would produce social change.

Reform consists in taking a bone from a dog. Philosophy will not do it.

Ideas can never be defeated by military force. They can only be defeated by better ideas.

The reformer is always right about what is wrong. He is generally wrong about what is right.

It takes a lot of punishment to be able to do anything to change the social order.

Somehow, the guys in power have to be reached by counter-power, or through a change in their hearts and minds, or change will not come.

There comes an hour when protest no longer suffices; after philosophy there must be action; the strong hand finishes what the idea has sketched.

I think, you're not blagging me on this ridiculous journey, with this bit of paper. I think if you want to change things, it's not with an X on a piece of paper, it's with an X on someone's forehead.

You don't have a peaceful revolution. You don't have a turn-the-cheek revolution. There's no such thing as a nonviolent revolution.

No real social change has ever been brought about without a revolution... revolution is but thought carried into action.

Do you think that revolutions are made with rose water?

The way I see it, it's impossible to change things without encountering resistance.

If you compromise in any kind of movement or any kind of wave of revolution, if you sort of play the game, things are gonna change far more slowly than you need them to.

Do you think Revolutions are made with rose water?

People like me who were engaging in brinkmanship with the party economic bosses and the open dissidents who were being arrested were pursuing a common goal in different ways.

Revolutions are not made with rosewater.

The revolution is a torrent which sweeps aside those who resist it.

A revolution is an idea that has found bayonets.

Every single change is fought by those who would be affected by it.

Change never comes from the White House. It comes from your house and my house.

Philosophers have interpreted the world, in various ways; the point, however, is to change it

The function of a progressive is to keep on protesting until things get so bad that a reactionary demands reform.

No great reform can be achieved except at the sacrifice of some opinion.

Social change can be painful for all involved—oppressor and oppressed.

Political evils must be sorely felt before they can be removed.