Devices Quote by Eric Hobsbawm
“Utopianism is probably a necessary social device for generating the superhuman efforts without which no major revolution is achieved.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Age of Extremes, 1994
Utopian ideas can mobilize extraordinary collective effort, essential for achieving major revolutions.
In simple terms: Utopianism fuels collective revolutionary effort.
Key Takeaway
Use visionary ideas to inspire collective action.
Themes
politics
revolution
ideology
Mood
hopeful
critical
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- political movements
- social reforms
- grassroots campaigns
Key Concepts
social engineering
collective motivation
Questions to Reflect On
- Can utopia be practical?
- What motivates collective sacrifice?
A Different Perspective
Utopian visions may be unrealistic or co-opted.
![“He[Napoleon] had destroyed only one thing: the Jacobin Revolution, the dream of equality, liberty and fraternity, and of the people rising in its majesty to shake off oppression. It was a more powerful myth than his, for after his fall it was this, and not his memory, which inspired the…” quote by Eric Hobsbawm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dfd/eric-hobsbawm-20660_century_he-napoleon-had-destroyed-only-one-thing_1313226.jpg)
![“The sense of tragedy - according to Aristotle - comes, ironically enough, not from the protagonist's weak points but from his good qualities. Do you know what I'm getting at? People are drawn deeper into tragedy not by their defects but by their virtues. ... [But] we accept irony through a device…” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa9/haruki-murakami-21_accepting_the-sense-of-tragedy-according-to-aristo_23796.jpg)
