Despair Quote by Friedrich Engels
“The proletarians, driven to despair, will seize the torch which Stephens has preached to them; the vengeance of the people will come down with a wrath of which the rage of 1795 gives no true idea. The war of the poor against the rich will be the bloodiest ever waged.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: The Condition of the Working Class in England, 1845
The oppressed will rise against the elite, leading to a violent, unprecedented conflict.
In simple terms: The poor will revolt against the rich.
Key Takeaway
Expect and prepare for social upheaval.
Themes
class struggle
revolution
inequality
violence
Mood
defiant
tense
revolutionary
Type
political
historical
warning
When to use this quote
- political movements
- labor strikes
- economic crises
- revolutionary planning
Key Concepts
Marxism
historical materialism
social conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- What conditions could prevent such a violent uprising?
- How can societies address inequality without bloodshed?
A Different Perspective
The quote may exaggerate the inevitability of war, ignoring peaceful reforms.
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![“...it was always our view that in order to attain this [proletarian revolution] and the other far more important aims of the future social revolution, the working class must first take possession of the organised political power of the state and by its aid crush the resistance of the capitalist…” quote by Friedrich Engels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/458/friedrich-engels-8301_aids_it-was-always-our-view-that-in-order-to_258810.jpg)
