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Single Idea 19931

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 4. Changing the State / c. Revolution ]

Full Idea

People have never succeeded in devising a form of government that was not in greater danger from its own citizens than from foreign foes, and which was not more fearful of the former than of the latter.

Gist of Idea

Every state is more frightened of its own citizens than of external enemies

Source

Baruch de Spinoza (Tractatus Theologico-Politicus [1670], 17.04)

Book Ref

Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Theological-Political Treatise', ed/tr. Israel,Jonathan [CUP 2007], p.211

A Reaction

The sort of lovely clear-headed and accurate observation for which we love Spinoza. Only very powerful despots can afford to ignore the threat from the people. Stalin was paranoid, but eventually murdered almost everyone who seemed a threat.

The 18 ideas with the same theme [overthrow of the government by citizens]:

19931 Every state is more frightened of its own citizens than of external enemies [Spinoza]
19902 Any obstruction to the operation of the legislature can be removed forcibly by the people [Locke]
19908 Rebelling against an illegitimate power is no sin [Locke]
19911 If legislators confiscate property, or enslave people, they are no longer owed obedience [Locke]
19747 Revolutionaries usually confuse liberty with total freedom, and end up with heavier chains [Rousseau]
19837 If inhabitants are widely dispersed, organising a revolt is much more difficult [Rousseau]
19843 The state is not bound to leave civil authority to its leaders [Rousseau]
21756 All revolutions result from spirit changing its categories, to achieve a deeper understanding [Hegel]
22971 In moving from capitalism to communism a revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is needed [Marx]
21991 The middle class gain freedom through property, but workers can only free all of humanity [Marx, by Singer]
21990 Theory is as much a part of a revolution as material force is [Marx]
20273 The French Revolution gave trusting Europe the false delusion of instant recovery [Nietzsche]
23867 After a bloody revolution the group which already had the power comes to the fore [Weil]
23856 Spontaneous movements are powerless against organised repression [Weil]
21997 In Marxism the state will be superseded [Singer]
20288 You can't condemn violent revolution without assessing the evils it prevents [Singer]
22258 Passion for progress is always short-lived [Sandel]
23125 Most good social changes are incremental, rather than revolutionary [Gopnik]