--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you say that you reject violence when…" description: "\"If you say that you reject violence when it exceeds the limits imposed by the needs of defense, they accuse you of pacifism, without understanding that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/errico-malatesta-20817_anarchism_if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when_1357874.png" --- # If you say that you reject violence when it exceeds the… ![“If you say that you reject violence when it exceeds the limits imposed by the needs of defense, they accuse you of pacifism, without understanding that violence is the whole essence of authoritarianism, just as the repudiation of violence is the whole essence of anarchism.” quote by Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/errico-malatesta-20817_anarchism_if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when_1357874.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/errico-malatesta-20817_anarchism_if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when_1357874.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/errico-malatesta-20817_anarchism_if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when_1357874.png) > “If you say that you reject violence when it exceeds the limits imposed by the needs of defense, they accuse you of pacifism, without understanding that violence is the whole essence of authoritarianism, just as the repudiation of violence is the whole essence of anarchism.” [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence is central to authoritarianism, while rejecting violence defines anarchism; both are rooted in opposing uses of force. **In simple terms:** Violence defines both authoritarianism and anarchism. Key Takeaway Understand the role of force in politics. Themes politics violence authoritarianism anarchism philosophy Mood critical serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - activism - policy analysis - educational workshops Key Concepts political theory ethics social contract Questions to Reflect On - Is violence ever justified? - How do you reconcile peace with resistance? A Different Perspective Non‑violent resistance still faces challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchism/) [Authoritarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarianism/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Pacifism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifism/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [Let us reject violence and selfishness which could destroy our country's unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwai-kibaki/let-us-reject-violence-and-selfishness-which-could-destroy-our/) [Mwai Kibaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwai-kibaki/) > [“I am not a committed pacifist. I would not hold that it is under all imaginable circumstances wrong to use violence, even though use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-am-not-a-committed-pacifist-i-would-not-hold-that-it-is-under-all/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I'm sort of exploring where pacifism and socialism come into conflict. How do you reconcile a passionate rejection of might and violence with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/i-m-sort-of-exploring-where-pacifism-and-socialism-come-into-conflict/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [I know there are some Christians who believe that war and their participation in it are morally wrong. While I respect their views and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/i-know-there-are-some-christians-who-believe-that-war-and-their/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [“The friends of Galtieri, Saddam Hussein, Mullah Omar and Milosevic make unconvincing defenders of humanitarian values, and it can be seen that their inept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-friends-of-galtieri-saddam-hussein-mullah-omar-and-milosevic-make/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Pacifism is a tenable position, provided that you are prepared to live with the consequences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/pacifism-is-a-tenable-position-provided-that-you-are-prepared-to-live/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Since pacifists have more freedom of action in countries where traces of democracy survive, pacifism can act more effectively against democracy than for it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/since-pacifists-have-more-freedom-of-action-in-countries-where-traces/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I really believe that Bob Dylan and others have speeded up the changes. Pacifism has found a voice at last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-really-believe-that-bob-dylan-and-others-have-speeded-up-the/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“It is night at the front, a shadow, a shot. The Jew who has just fired hears a moan... "And then, mother, the hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-schwarz-bart/it-is-night-at-the-front-a-shadow-a-shot-the-jew-who-has-just-fired/) Andre Schwarz-Bart > [“Fugitive Peace (Sonnet 2219) In the opera of war, peace is fugitive - thinking soldiers are no good to state, either you kill without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/fugitive-peace-sonnet-2219-in-the-opera-of-war-peace-is-fugitive/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“I think about something I once heard on the radio. About Abraham and Isaac." "I was afraid you'd say something like that." "You asked."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-kazinski/i-think-about-something-i-once-heard-on-the-radio-about-abraham-and/) [A.J. Kazinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-kazinski/) > [I am not a terrorist, but neither am I a pacifist. I am simply a regular guy from the Palestinian street advocating only what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marwan-barghouti/i-am-not-a-terrorist-but-neither-am-i-a-pacifist-i-am-simply-a/) Marwan Barghouti > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/) [Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/) > [“Nonviolence is the very essence of the gospels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-iswolsky/nonviolence-is-the-very-essence-of-the-gospels/) Helene Iswolsky > [“... it would be better for our country and the world in general, if at least the few people who were capable of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-would-be-better-for-our-country-and-the-world-in-general-if-at/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More by Errico Malatesta > [The only limit to the oppression of government is the power with which the people show themselves capable of opposing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/the-only-limit-to-the-oppression-of-government-is-the-power-with/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [Anarchists are opposed to violence; everyone knows that. The main plank of anarchism is the removal of violence from human relations. It is life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/anarchists-are-opposed-to-violence-everyone-knows-that-the-main-plank/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [The question may seem embarrassing, but it can be answered in a few words. For two people to live in peace they must both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/the-question-may-seem-embarrassing-but-it-can-be-answered-in-a-few/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [The basic function of the government everywhere in all times, whatever title it adopts and whatever its origin and organisation may be, is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/the-basic-function-of-the-government-everywhere-in-all-times-whatever/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [“In all times and in all places, whatever may be the name that the government takes, whatever has been its origin, or its organization,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/in-all-times-and-in-all-places-whatever-may-be-the-name-that-the/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [“Capitalism is the same everywhere. In order to survive and prosper it needs a permanent situation of partial scarcity: it needs it to maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/capitalism-is-the-same-everywhere-in-order-to-survive-and-prosper-it/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [Impossibility never prevented anything from happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/impossibility-never-prevented-anything-from-happening/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [“Communism made through the will of a government instead of through the direct and voluntary work of groups of workers does not really appeal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/communism-made-through-the-will-of-a-government-instead-of-through/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [Experience through freedom is the only means to arrive at the truth and the best solutions; and there is no freedom if there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/experience-through-freedom-is-the-only-means-to-arrive-at-the-truth/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [We follow ideas and not men, and rebel against this habit of embodying a principle in a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/we-follow-ideas-and-not-men-and-rebel-against-this-habit-of-embodying/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [“The methods from which the different non-anarchist parties expect, or say they do, the greatest good of one and all can be reduced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/the-methods-from-which-the-different-non-anarchist-parties-expect-or/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [And by anarchist spirit I mean that deeply human sentiment, which aims at the good of all, freedom and justice for all, solidarity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/and-by-anarchist-spirit-i-mean-that-deeply-human-sentiment-which-aims/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [Not whether we accomplish anarchism today, tomorrow, or within ten centuries, but that we walk towards anarchism today, tomorrow, and always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/not-whether-we-accomplish-anarchism-today-tomorrow-or-within-ten/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [ The person who thinks with \[their\] own brain is to be preferred to the one who blindly approves everything… Better an error consciously committed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/the-person-who-thinks-with-their-own-brain-is-to-be-preferred-to-the/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [Intolerance of oppression, the desire to be free and develop one personality to its full limits, is not enough to make one an anarchist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/intolerance-of-oppression-the-desire-to-be-free-and-develop-one/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) [Explore all 27 Errico Malatesta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) ## More Anarchism quotes > [I know one thing: that you can do a lot of things but if you don't educate people into conscious anarchism it gets frittered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-know-one-thing-that-you-can-do-a-lot-of-things-but-if-you-don-t/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [Anarchism is a definite intellectual current in the life of our times, whose adherents advocate the abolition of economic monopolies and of all political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/anarchism-is-a-definite-intellectual-current-in-the-life-of-our-times/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Does it follow that I reject all authority? Perish the thought. In the matter of boots, I defer to the authority of the bootmaker;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/does-it-follow-that-i-reject-all-authority-perish-the-thought-in-the/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Anarchism as a political philosophy seeks to dissolve all forms of authority and power, and if possible, wishes their complete abolition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marshall/anarchism-as-a-political-philosophy-seeks-to-dissolve-all-forms-of/) [Peter Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marshall/) > [And now, what has Anarchism to say to all this, this bankruptcy of republicanism, this modern empire that has grown up on the ruins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltairine-de-cleyre/and-now-what-has-anarchism-to-say-to-all-this-this-bankruptcy-of/) [Voltairine de Cleyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltairine-de-cleyre/) > [I see anarchism as the theoretical ideal to which we are all gradually evolving to a point where everybody can tell the truth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-see-anarchism-as-the-theoretical-ideal-to-which-we-are-all/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Anarchists are opposed to violence; everyone knows that. The main plank of anarchism is the removal of violence from human relations. It is life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/anarchists-are-opposed-to-violence-everyone-knows-that-the-main-plank/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [“They knew that their anarchism was the product of a very high civilization, of a complex diversified culture, of a stable economy and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/they-knew-that-their-anarchism-was-the-product-of-a-very-high/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Anarchism means voluntary co-operation instead of forced participation. It means harmony and order in place of interference and disorder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-berkman/anarchism-means-voluntary-co-operation-instead-of-forced/) [Alexander Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-berkman/) > [The Anarchists are simply unterrified Jeffersonian Democrats. They believe that 'the best government is that which governs least,' and that which governs least is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-anarchists-are-simply-unterrified-jeffersonian-democrats-they/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [We must therefore turn to history for enlightenment; here we find that none of the proclaimed anarchist groups correspond to the libertarian position, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/we-must-therefore-turn-to-history-for-enlightenment-here-we-find-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“I became an anarchist very early on. Anarchism, in my mind, meant taking democracy seriously and organizing prefiguratively- that is, in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrej-gruba-i/i-became-an-anarchist-very-early-on-anarchism-in-my-mind-meant-taking/) [Andrej Grubačić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrej-gruba-i/) [Browse all 388 Anarchism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you say that you reject violence when it exceeds the limits imposed by the needs of defense, they accuse you of pacifism, without understanding that violence is the whole essence of authoritarianism, just as the repudiation of violence is the whole essence of anarchism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Errico Malatesta" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when-it-exceeds-the-limits/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anarchism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when-it-exceeds-the-limits/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/errico-malatesta-20817_anarchism_if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when_1357874.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/errico-malatesta-20817_anarchism_if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when_1357874.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eca/errico-malatesta-20817_anarchism_if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when_1357874.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you say that you reject violence when it exceeds the limits imposed by the needs of defense, they accuse…” — Errico Malatesta", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Errico Malatesta", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you say that you reject...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when-it-exceeds-the-limits/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/if-you-say-that-you-reject-violence-when-it-exceeds-the-limits/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```