--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... true civil disobedience ... compels…" description: "\"... true civil disobedience ... compels the state to resort to power.\" — Archibald Cox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/archibald-cox-48465_civil_true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-stat_1391434.png" --- # ... true civil disobedience ... compels the state to… ![“... true civil disobedience ... compels the state to resort to power.” quote by Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/archibald-cox-48465_civil_true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-stat_1391434.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/archibald-cox-48465_civil_true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-stat_1391434.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/archibald-cox-48465_civil_true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-stat_1391434.png) > “... true civil disobedience ... compels the state to resort to power.” [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civil disobedience forces governments to use force, highlighting tension between law and moral protest. **In simple terms:** Protest can compel state violence. Key Takeaway Weigh moral duty against potential state retaliation. Themes civil disobedience state power morality Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - activist movements - legal challenges - public demonstrations Key Concepts political theory ethical protest government response Questions to Reflect On - When is civil disobedience justified? - What non-violent strategies exist? A Different Perspective The approach may ignore non-violent alternatives that achieve change without violence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-disobedience/) [Disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disobedience/) [Resorts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resorts/) ## Related quotes > [In instances in history, civil disobedience has been appropriate and useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hart/in-instances-in-history-civil-disobedience-has-been-appropriate-and/) Philip Hart > [Civil disobedience is an act of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dechristopher/civil-disobedience-is-an-act-of-love/) [Tim DeChristopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dechristopher/) > [All great rebellions are born of private acts of civil disobedience that inspire rebel bands to plot together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/all-great-rebellions-are-born-of-private-acts-of-civil-disobedience/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Civil disobedience's main goal typically is to try to arouse and inspire others to join and do something. Well, sometimes that is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/civil-disobedience-s-main-goal-typically-is-to-try-to-arouse-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Civil disobedience is - it's no fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/civil-disobedience-is-it-s-no-fun/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't advocate civil disobedience. I do advocate the role of an informed citizen to try to overturn when a court makes a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/i-don-t-advocate-civil-disobedience-i-do-advocate-the-role-of-an/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Accepting yourself as you are is an act of civil disobedience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/accepting-yourself-as-you-are-is-an-act-of-civil-disobedience/) [Francesca Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [Disobedience to be civil has to be open and nonviolent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/disobedience-to-be-civil-has-to-be-open-and-nonviolent/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Vietnam had never been a true civil war. It was a war of conquest, initiated and perpetuated for more than two decades by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-greenberg/vietnam-had-never-been-a-true-civil-war-it-was-a-war-of-conquest/) [Andy Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-greenberg/) > [There was a belief after World War I that painting could be an act of civil revolt. I want this exhibition, 'New Museum,' to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-phillips/there-was-a-belief-after-world-war-i-that-painting-could-be-an-act-of/) [Richard Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-phillips/) > [Yes, what has happened is we have moved from responding to these terrorist attacks as acts of civil disobedience to getting to the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-blackburn/yes-what-has-happened-is-we-have-moved-from-responding-to-these/) [Marsha Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-blackburn/) > [Satyagraha does not begin and end with civil disobedience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/satyagraha-does-not-begin-and-end-with-civil-disobedience/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I find this proposed amendment very, very, very, very shocking. And immoral. And, you know, if civil disobedience is the way to go about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/i-find-this-proposed-amendment-very-very-very-very-shocking-and/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) > [In 1999, I was in St. Louis with Martin Luther King III as we led protests against the state's failure to hire minority contractors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/in-1999-i-was-in-st-louis-with-martin-luther-king-iii-as-we-led/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) ## More by Archibald Cox > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [Whether ours shall be a government of laws and not of men is now for Congress and ultimately the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/whether-ours-shall-be-a-government-of-laws-and-not-of-men-is-now-for/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [A great many college graduates come here thinking of lawyers as social engineers arguing the great Constitutional issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-great-many-college-graduates-come-here-thinking-of-lawyers-as/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [I confess that I cannot understand how we can plot, lie, cheat and commit murder abroad and remain humane, honorable, trustworthy and trusted at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/i-confess-that-i-cannot-understand-how-we-can-plot-lie-cheat-and/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [What can you or I do? Alone, almost nothing. Yet one person - you alone - can make the difference. . . . The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/what-can-you-or-i-do-alone-almost-nothing-yet-one-person-you-alone/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [Watergate showed more strengths in our system than weaknesses... The whole country did take part in quite a genuine sense in passing judgment on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/watergate-showed-more-strengths-in-our-system-than-weaknesses-the/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [Through the centuries, men of law have been persistently concerned with the resolution of disputes in ways that enable society to achieve its goals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/through-the-centuries-men-of-law-have-been-persistently-concerned/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) [Explore all 8 Archibald Cox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) ## More Civil quotes > [Using a broad brushstroke, I think Libertarian - most of America are socially accepting and fiscally responsible. I'm in that category. I think, broadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/using-a-broad-brushstroke-i-think-libertarian-most-of-america-are/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [In the summer of 1964, my sister and I went to South Ballston, Virginia, to stay with my aunt and her kids. They passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/in-the-summer-of-1964-my-sister-and-i-went-to-south-ballston-virginia/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [I support gay unions. I think the government should get out of the marriage business completely - leave marriages to the churches. And grant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/i-support-gay-unions-i-think-the-government-should-get-out-of-the/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [Civil servants take forever to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wambaugh/civil-servants-take-forever-to-do-anything/) [Joseph Wambaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wambaugh/) > [Protecting the rights of service members was an important part of my work as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/protecting-the-rights-of-service-members-was-an-important-part-of-my/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [We are losing each day an average 50 to 60 people throughout the country, if not more. If this is not civil war, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyad-allawi/we-are-losing-each-day-an-average-50-to-60-people-throughout-the/) [Iyad Allawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyad-allawi/) > [Any new legal measures, or cooperative arrangements between government and companies meant to keep people from organizing violence or criminal actions, must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/any-new-legal-measures-or-cooperative-arrangements-between-government/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [I was on the state board of directors of the American Civil Liberties Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-hill/i-was-on-the-state-board-of-directors-of-the-american-civil-liberties/) [Betty Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-hill/) > [I was a child during the Lebanese civil war, and I remember Israeli bombardments. So growing up, my view of Israel was completely negative.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-doueiri/i-was-a-child-during-the-lebanese-civil-war-and-i-remember-israeli/) [Ziad Doueiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-doueiri/) > [In Finland, we learned quite a lot from our own civil war. The wounds were visible when I was a boy, but my generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/in-finland-we-learned-quite-a-lot-from-our-own-civil-war-the-wounds/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [I wrote my first script, which was 50 pages, at age 15. It was about two brothers in love with the same nurse while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/i-wrote-my-first-script-which-was-50-pages-at-age-15-it-was-about-two/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [Whatever the reasons may be, I was very much affected by events of the 1930s - the Spanish Civil War, for example, though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/whatever-the-reasons-may-be-i-was-very-much-affected-by-events-of-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Prior to the Civil War, most libraries were either privately owned or housed in universities or churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/prior-to-the-civil-war-most-libraries-were-either-privately-owned-or/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assistant-attorney-general-for/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) Browse all 390 Civil quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... true civil disobedience ... compels the state to resort to power.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Archibald Cox" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-state-to-resort-to-power/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-state-to-resort-to-power/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/archibald-cox-48465_civil_true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-stat_1391434.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/archibald-cox-48465_civil_true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-stat_1391434.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/archibald-cox-48465_civil_true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-stat_1391434.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“... true civil disobedience ... compels the state to resort to power.” — Archibald Cox", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Archibald Cox", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "... true civil disobedience ... compels...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-state-to-resort-to-power/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/true-civil-disobedience-compels-the-state-to-resort-to-power/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```