Socialism Quote by Gustav Landauer
““One can throw away a chair and destroy a pane of glass; but those are idle talkers and credulous idolaters of words who regard the state as such a thing or as a fetish that one can smash in order to destroy it. The state is a condition, a certain relationship between human beings, a mode of behavior; we destroy it by contracting other relationships, by behaving differently toward one another. One day it will be realized that Socialism is not the invention of anything new, but the discovery of something actually present, of something that has grown… We are the state, and we shall continue to be the state until we have created the institutions that form a real community and society of men.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Socialism and the State, 1919
The state is not a physical object but a web of relationships; changing how people interact dissolves it, revealing community as the true foundation.
In simple terms: The state exists in how we relate; change relationships to end it.
Key Takeaway
Transform social bonds to build community.
Themes
politics
community
socialism
relationships
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- activism
- policy reform
- community organizing
- education
- grassroots movements
Key Concepts
collective identity
institution building
social theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we redesign everyday interactions to foster genuine community?
- What obstacles arise when dismantling entrenched state structures?
A Different Perspective
Idealistic visions may overlook power imbalances in existing institutions.
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