Baseness Quote by Edmond de Goncourt
“There are only two great currents in the history of mankind: the baseness which makes conservatives and the envy which makes revolutionaries.”
About This Quote
Human history is driven by two opposing forces: the self‑interest of conservatism and the aspirational envy that fuels revolutionary change.
In simple terms: Dual historical drivers
Key Takeaway
Conservatism and revolutionary envy shape societies
Themes
political theory
human nature
history
ideology
social dynamics
Mood
analytical
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
historical
political
When to use this quote
- political debate
- historical analysis
- social movement planning
- civic education
- philosophical discourse
Key Concepts
conservatism
revolution
envy
baseness
social change
Practical Applications
- lecture series
- policy white paper
Questions to Reflect On
- Can envy be a constructive force for progress?
- How do societies balance stability and transformation?
![“[He] went on to say that during all those years he had done nothing at all, that all he had felt had been a need to live, to live actively, violently, noisily, a need to sing, to make music, to roam the woods, to drink a little too much and get involved in a brawl.” quote by Edmond De Goncourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e1/edmond-de-goncourt-19675_life_he-went-on-to-say-that-during-all-those_436609.jpg)
![“There is no more evil thing in this world than race prejudice, none at all. [...] It justifies and holds together more baseness, cruelty, and abomination than any other sort of error in the world.” quote by H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fc7/h-g-wells-1122_abomination_there-is-no-more-evil-thing-in-this-worl_478066.jpg)
