Abolition Quote by Edward Snowden
“When you think about the abolition of slavery for example, for the ruling class with the rich white people owning plantations and states, and things like that, slavery was to their benefit. To oppose it didn't make any sense at all on a rational basis. But on a rights basis, on a principle basis, it made obvious, overwhelming sense.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Snowden Files, 2014
Slavery persisted because it benefited the powerful; rational arguments alone couldn’t end it, but moral principles did.
In simple terms: Rights and principles can outweigh self‑interest.
Advocate for justice even when it’s irrationally costly.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- activism
- policy reform
- education
- community organizing
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What moral arguments can shift entrenched power structures?
- How do we sustain moral conviction against rational self‑interest?
Economic interests often resist moral change.