Causes Quote by Aristotle
“For as the interposition of a rivulet, however small, will occasion the line of the phalanx to fluctuate, so any trifling disagreement will be the cause of seditions; but they will not so soon flow from anything else as from the disagreement between virtue and vice, and next to that between poverty and riches.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Politics, Book 1, 4th century BC
Small disputes can destabilize groups, but deeper conflicts between virtue and vice or poverty and wealth cause the greatest upheavals.
In simple terms: Minor disagreements can ripple, but core moral/economic divides drive revolts.
Address fundamental values before minor grievances.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- team dynamics
- community leadership
- policy making
- social movements
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What core values are at stake in your group?
- How can you reconcile economic disparities?
Minor issues may mask deeper systemic problems.