--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In that wide struggle which we call…" description: "\"In that wide struggle which we call Progress, evil is always the aggressor and the vanquished, and it is right that this should be so, for without its ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/james-stephens-11194_always_in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-prog_2947346.jpg" --- # In that wide struggle which we call Progress, evil is… ![“In that wide struggle which we call Progress, evil is always the aggressor and the vanquished, and it is right that this should be so, for without its onslaughts and depredations humanity might fall to a fat slumber upon its cornsacks and die snoring.” quote by James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/james-stephens-11194_always_in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-prog_2947346.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/james-stephens-11194_always_in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-prog_2947346.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/james-stephens-11194_always_in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-prog_2947346.jpg) > “In that wide struggle which we call Progress, evil is always the aggressor and the vanquished, and it is right that this should be so, for without its onslaughts and depredations humanity might fall to a fat slumber upon its cornsacks and die snoring.” [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Progress requires conflict; evil drives struggle, preventing humanity’s complacent decay. **In simple terms:** Conflict fuels progress, preventing stagnation. Key Takeaway Accept struggle as catalyst for growth. Themes conflict progress human nature Mood thought‑provoking critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - historical change - personal growth - social reform Key Concepts philosophy social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Is evil always necessary for progress? - Can peace achieve similar growth? A Different Perspective Violence may be glorified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Call](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/call/) [Depredations Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depredations-humanity-4424317/) [Die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/die/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Aggressor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-aggressor-4424318/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fat/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Progress Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress-evil-4424316/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Slumber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slumber/) [Snoring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snoring/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Struggle Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle-progress-630222/) [Vanquished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanquished/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Wide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wide/) [Without](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without/) ## Related quotes > [“Progress in evil was quick and easy; Apollyon was not a chap who hid himself and he gave every assistance in his power. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/progress-in-evil-was-quick-and-easy-apollyon-was-not-a-chap-who-hid/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/if-there-is-no-struggle-there-is-no-progress-those-who-profess-to-3/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Without struggle, there is no progress. There has to be struggle in your life. You have to grow in experience to control your ego.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/without-struggle-there-is-no-progress-there-has-to-be-struggle-in/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Let me give you a word of the philosophy of reform. The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/let-me-give-you-a-word-of-the-philosophy-of-reform-the-whole-history-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation are men who want crops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/if-there-is-no-struggle-there-is-no-progress-those-who-profess-to-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [You have to struggle before you have any progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/you-have-to-struggle-before-you-have-any-progress/) [DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/) > [“The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims have been born of earnest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-whole-history-of-the-progress-of-human-liberty-shows-that-all/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [With out struggle there is no progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-out-struggle-there-is-no-progress/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If there's no struggle, there's no progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/if-there-s-no-struggle-there-s-no-progress/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [No struggle, No progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah/no-struggle-no-progress/) [Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah/) > [Without struggle there is no progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-struggle-there-is-no-progress/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Without a struggle, there can be no progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/without-a-struggle-there-can-be-no-progress/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/if-there-is-no-struggle-there-is-no-progress-those-who-profess-to/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Without struggle, no progress and no result. Every breaking of habit produces a change in the machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-struggle-no-progress-and-no-result-every-breaking-of-habit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The creation groans from all the pain and sorrow that surrounds us. We have a strong sense that life is not the way it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-detweiler/the-creation-groans-from-all-the-pain-and-sorrow-that-surrounds-us-we/) [Craig Detweiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-detweiler/) ## More by James Stephens > [“Even the wind had ceased, and there seemed to be nothing in the world but the darkness and himself. In that gigantic blackness, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/even-the-wind-had-ceased-and-there-seemed-to-be-nothing-in-the-world/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [A Leprecaun without a pot of gold is like a rose without perfume, a bird without a wing, or an inside without an outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/a-leprecaun-without-a-pot-of-gold-is-like-a-rose-without-perfume-a/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Originality does not consist in saying what no one has ever said before, but in saying exactly what you think yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/originality-does-not-consist-in-saying-what-no-one-has-ever-said/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [The duty of a lyrical poet is not to express or explain, it is to intensify life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/the-duty-of-a-lyrical-poet-is-not-to-express-or-explain-it-is-to/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [A man and a woman may become quite intimate in a quarter of an hour. Almost certainly will they endeavour to explain themselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/a-man-and-a-woman-may-become-quite-intimate-in-a-quarter-of-an-hour/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [“The toxin generates the anti-toxin. The end lies concealed in the beginning. All bodies grow around a skeleton. Life is a petticoat about death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/the-toxin-generates-the-anti-toxin-the-end-lies-concealed-in-the/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [A sword, a spade, and a thought should never be allowed to rust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/a-sword-a-spade-and-a-thought-should-never-be-allowed-to-rust/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [“But outside of the North of Ireland there is no religious question, and in the North it is fundamentally more political than religious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/but-outside-of-the-north-of-ireland-there-is-no-religious-question/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [I hear a sudden cry of pain! There is a rabbit in a snare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/i-hear-a-sudden-cry-of-pain-there-is-a-rabbit-in-a-snare/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Tell me your past, my beloved, for a man is his past, and is to be known by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/tell-me-your-past-my-beloved-for-a-man-is-his-past-and-is-to-be-known/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Finality is death. Perfection is finality. Nothing is perfect. There are lumps in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/finality-is-death-perfection-is-finality-nothing-is-perfect-there-are/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Life runs to death as its goal, and we should go towards that next stage of experience either carelessly as to what must be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/life-runs-to-death-as-its-goal-and-we-should-go-towards-that-next/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Women and birds are able to see without turning their heads, and that is indeed a necessary provision for they are both surrounded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/women-and-birds-are-able-to-see-without-turning-their-heads-and-that/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Men come of age at sixty, women at fifteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/men-come-of-age-at-sixty-women-at-fifteen/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [“Curiosity will conquer fear more than bravery will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/curiosity-will-conquer-fear-more-than-bravery-will/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) [Explore all 61 James Stephens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In that wide struggle which we call Progress, evil is always the aggressor and the vanquished, and it is right that this should be so, for without its onslaughts and depredations humanity might fall to a fat slumber upon its cornsacks and die snoring.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Stephens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-progress-evil-is-always-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-progress-evil-is-always-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/james-stephens-11194_always_in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-prog_2947346.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/james-stephens-11194_always_in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-prog_2947346.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/james-stephens-11194_always_in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-prog_2947346.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In that wide struggle which we call Progress, evil is always the aggressor and the vanquished, and it is…” — James Stephens", "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": "James Stephens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In that wide struggle which we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-progress-evil-is-always-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/in-that-wide-struggle-which-we-call-progress-evil-is-always-the/#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 } } ] } ```