John Hurt Quotes

This is a revolution, damnit! We're going to have to offend somebody!

All civilization has from time to time become a thin crust over a volcano of revolution.

In the class-struggle the conflict must always concern itself with immediate, practical objects

The “terror” of the French Revolution lasted for ten years. The terror that preceded and led to it lasted for a thousand years.

We have two American flags always; one for the rich and one for the poor. When the rich fly it, it means that things are under control; when the poor fly it, it means danger, revolution.

Harmony? No! Class war! Hatred to the death for the criminal bourgeoisie!

In difficult or critical times some comrades often have doubts about the survival of Red political power and become pessimistic. The reason is that they have not found the correct explanation for its emergence and survival. If only we realize that splits and wars will never cease within the White regime in China, we shall have no doubts about the emergence, survival and daily growth of Red political power.

One man’s democratization is another man’s destabilization.

History is made in the class struggle and not in bed.

The absolutists of contract are the real parents of revolution.

Not a single problem of the class struggle has ever been solved in history except by violence.

Social stability is ensured, not by the cessation of the demand for change – for the needy and the restless will never cease to cry for it – but by the fact that change in its progress must at last hurt some class of men who are strong enough to arrest it.

Everything established should go out the window. But I don't know how to do it. If someone knew how, it would have happened by now.

The powerful don't make revolutions

A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery. It cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.

People die when curiosity goes.People have to find out, people have to know. How can there be any true revolution till we know what we're made of? 830

When you talk of revolution ... you never talk of the day after.

Everything is going to change.

For theories and schools, like microbes and corpuscles, devour one another and by their strife ensure the continuity of life.

Every revolution destroys the average middle first and most savagely.

Change is not always accomplished peacefully, but that does not make it disadventageous.

The spirit of rebellion can only exist in a society where a theoretical equality conceals great factual inequalities. The problem of rebellion, therefore, has no meaning except within our own Western society.

I knew that when the great guiding spirit cleaves humanity into two antagonistic halves, I would be with the people. I know this, I see it printed in the night sky that I, eclectic dissembler of doctrine and psychoanalyst of dogma, howling like one possessed, will assault the barricades or the trenches , will take my bloodstained weapon, and consumed with fury, slaughter any enemy who falls into my hands.

All revolutions in history have obstacles.

"What would they do to me," he asked in confidential tones, "if I refused to fly them?" "We'd probably shoot you," ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen replied. "We?" Yossarian cried in surprise. "What do you mean, we? Since when are you on their side?" "If you're going to be shot, whose side do you expect me to be on?" ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen retorted.