--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Power acquired by violence is only a…" description: "\"Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only as long as the force of him who commands prevails over that of those who obey.\" — Denis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9b/denis-diderot-1536_force_power-acquired-by-violence-is-only-a-usu_2661763.png" --- # Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts… ![“Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only as long as the force of him who commands prevails over that of those who obey.” quote by Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9b/denis-diderot-1536_force_power-acquired-by-violence-is-only-a-usu_2661763.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9b/denis-diderot-1536_force_power-acquired-by-violence-is-only-a-usu_2661763.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9b/denis-diderot-1536_force_power-acquired-by-violence-is-only-a-usu_2661763.png) > “Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only as long as the force of him who commands prevails over that of those who obey.” [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violent power is temporary, dependent on the ruler's strength, and will fall when the ruler weakens. **In simple terms:** Violence yields unstable authority. Key Takeaway Seek lasting legitimacy. Themes power violence authority politics Mood critical historical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - government - revolution - military leadership - social movements Key Concepts social contract legitimacy Questions to Reflect On - When is force justified? - How can power be sustained peacefully? A Different Perspective Non‑violent alternatives may be slower to implement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquired Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquired-violence-2433021/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Prevails Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevails-obey-2433019/) [Usurpation Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usurpation-lasts-2433020/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Usurpation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-usurpation-2433018/) ## Related quotes > [“We have engrossed to ourselves, in a time when other powerful nations were paralysed by barbarism or internal war, an altogether disproportionate share of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-macmillan/we-have-engrossed-to-ourselves-in-a-time-when-other-powerful-nations/) [Margaret MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-macmillan/) > [Justice is the first virtue of those who command, and stops the complaints of those who obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/justice-is-the-first-virtue-of-those-who-command-and-stops-the/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Woman's great mission is to train immature, weak and ignorant creatures to obey the laws of God; the physical, the intellectual, the social and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/woman-s-great-mission-is-to-train-immature-weak-and-ignorant/) [Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/) > [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“Knowledge is not necessary for obedience, nor doth information replace faith. 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One forgets that they are also the source of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-declaims-endlessly-against-the-passions-one-imputes-all-of-man-s/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Time, matter, space - all, it may be, are no more than a point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/time-matter-space-all-it-may-be-are-no-more-than-a-point/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our associates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/we-are-far-more-liable-to-catch-the-vices-than-the-virtues-of-our/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [One composition is meagre, though it has many figures; another is rich, though it has few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/one-composition-is-meagre-though-it-has-many-figures-another-is-rich/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. 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Putting things in order always means getting other people under your control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/watch-out-for-the-fellow-who-talks-about-putting-things-in-order/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“Nie wiem, co to zasady, chyba że tak nazywamy prawidła, które przypisuje się innym, a nie sobie. Myślę tak, a nie umiałbym się powstrzymać…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/nie-wiem-co-to-zasady-chyba-e-tak-nazywamy-prawid-a-kt-re-przypisuje/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [There is no good father who would want to resemble our Heavenly Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-no-good-father-who-would-want-to-resemble-our-heavenly-father/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [Isn't it better to have men being ungrateful than to miss a chance to do good?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/isn-t-it-better-to-have-men-being-ungrateful-than-to-miss-a-chance-to/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [A nation which thinks that it is belief in God and not good law which makes people honest does not seem to me very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/a-nation-which-thinks-that-it-is-belief-in-god-and-not-good-law-which/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) [Explore all 210 Denis Diderot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## More Force quotes > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Sentiment is the mightiest force in civilization; not sentimentality, but sentiment. 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