--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What on earth do they hope to achieve by…" description: "\"“What on earth do they hope to achieve by that, demonstrations never achieve anything, if they did, we wouldn't allow them.”\" — José Saramago" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/jos-saramago-208_demonstrations_what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by_1485281.png" --- # What on earth do they hope to achieve by that… ![“What on earth do they hope to achieve by that, demonstrations never achieve anything, if they did, we wouldn't allow them.” quote by José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/jos-saramago-208_demonstrations_what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by_1485281.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/jos-saramago-208_demonstrations_what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by_1485281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/jos-saramago-208_demonstrations_what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by_1485281.png) > ““What on earth do they hope to achieve by that, demonstrations never achieve anything, if they did, we wouldn't allow them.”” [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques protest movements, suggesting they are ineffective and that authorities suppress any success they might have. **In simple terms:** Protests are seen as futile and controlled. Key Takeaway Question the impact of demonstrations. Themes politics activism authority skepticism Mood cynical critical Type political commentary When to use this quote - public rallies - policy change - media coverage Key Concepts civil disobedience power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Are all protests useless? - How can activism be more effective? 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It also developed a need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/michael-brown-s-tragic-death-has-revealed-a-deep-distrust-between/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Just a moment ago nature put on one of its most spectacular demonstrations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/just-a-moment-ago-nature-put-on-one-of-its-most-spectacular/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) ## More by José Saramago > [“We are born, and at that moment, it is as if we had signed a pact for the rest of our life, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/we-are-born-and-at-that-moment-it-is-as-if-we-had-signed-a-pact-for/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [It takes little or nothing to undo reputations, the merest trifle makes and remakes them, it is simply a question of finding the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/it-takes-little-or-nothing-to-undo-reputations-the-merest-trifle/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [One can show no greater respect than to weep for a stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/one-can-show-no-greater-respect-than-to-weep-for-a-stranger/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I am not a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-am-not-a-prophet/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [With the passage of time, as well as the social evolution and genetic exchange, we ended up putting our conscience in the color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/with-the-passage-of-time-as-well-as-the-social-evolution-and-genetic/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Al día siguiente no murió nadie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/al-d-a-siguiente-no-muri-nadie/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“E se as histórias para crianças passassem a ser de leitura obrigatória para os adultos? Seriam eles capazes de aprender realmente o que há…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/e-se-as-hist-rias-para-crian-as-passassem-a-ser-de-leitura-obrigat/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [In a king, modesty would be a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/in-a-king-modesty-would-be-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“the inmates of the second ward in the right wing have decided, at long last, to bury their dead, at least we shall be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/the-inmates-of-the-second-ward-in-the-right-wing-have-decided-at-long/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Stretching one arm behind him, the man passed his hand over the horse's coat, his own skin transformed, or skin which had transformed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/stretching-one-arm-behind-him-the-man-passed-his-hand-over-the-horse/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I think we are blind. Blind people who can see, but do not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-think-we-are-blind-blind-people-who-can-see-but-do-not-see/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [...you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourselves, Unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/you-have-to-leave-the-island-in-order-to-see-the-island-that-we-can-t/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [anyone who gets up early by inclination or has been forced to rise early out of necessity finds it intolerable that others should go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/anyone-who-gets-up-early-by-inclination-or-has-been-forced-to-rise/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Society has to change, but the political powers we have at the moment are not enough to effect this change. The whole democratic system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/society-has-to-change-but-the-political-powers-we-have-at-the-moment/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“... aborrece os odores nocturnos, aquelas expansões do corpo a que nem poetas escapam".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/aborrece-os-odores-nocturnos-aquelas-expans-es-do-corpo-a-que-nem/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) [Explore all 487 José Saramago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## More Demonstrations quotes > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Just a moment ago nature put on one of its most spectacular demonstrations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/just-a-moment-ago-nature-put-on-one-of-its-most-spectacular/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Michael Brown's tragic death has revealed a deep distrust between some in the Ferguson community and its police force. It also developed a need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/michael-brown-s-tragic-death-has-revealed-a-deep-distrust-between/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [I remember when I was 11, I did some Kung-fu demonstrations in Hong Kong in 1974.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/i-remember-when-i-was-11-i-did-some-kung-fu-demonstrations-in-hong/) [Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/) > [Well to be perfectly frank with you I never created art or have done demonstrations for anyone before myself artistically. I always do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/well-to-be-perfectly-frank-with-you-i-never-created-art-or-have-done/) [Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/) > [I've played hundreds of protests. I've marched on dozens of picket lines. I've strummed my guitar at innumerable demonstrations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/i-ve-played-hundreds-of-protests-i-ve-marched-on-dozens-of-picket/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [I was part of the draft resistance movement in L.A. where we did demonstrations at the draft centre and burned our cards and made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheech-marin/i-was-part-of-the-draft-resistance-movement-in-l-a-where-we-did/) [Cheech Marin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheech-marin/) > [People look at me, they know I've appeared in costume dramas and they automatically assume I must be a Tory, I must be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-stevens/people-look-at-me-they-know-i-ve-appeared-in-costume-dramas-and-they/) [Dan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-stevens/) > [I beg you not to resort to demonstrations, for they have become nothing but burned paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muqtada-al-sadr/i-beg-you-not-to-resort-to-demonstrations-for-they-have-become/) [Muqtada al Sadr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muqtada-al-sadr/) > [If a huge number of people call for change, the government will have to react. If you want to avoid uprisings, or demonstrations, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/if-a-huge-number-of-people-call-for-change-the-government-will-have/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [One of my inspirations, Harry Houdini, remains an icon of the art because he defied our primal fears. His demonstrations in the early 20th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/one-of-my-inspirations-harry-houdini-remains-an-icon-of-the-art/) [Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/) > [We opened a shop in Rotherham which does free demonstrations every day, six days a week and it's been very popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/we-opened-a-shop-in-rotherham-which-does-free-demonstrations-every/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [“People are tired of being told that it's possible... It's time to show them how it can be possible. Leadership is demonstration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/people-are-tired-of-being-told-that-it-s-possible-it-s-time-to-show/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Not a lot of people would think that I spent most of my early years totally rebelling against anything I could, getting suspended from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-stevens/not-a-lot-of-people-would-think-that-i-spent-most-of-my-early-years/) [Dan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-stevens/) > [While staging demonstrations against wrongs, please do not cross the line, and see to it that no situation is allowed to turn into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-shah/while-staging-demonstrations-against-wrongs-please-do-not-cross-the/) [Amit Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-shah/) [Browse all 35 Demonstrations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstrations/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What on earth do they hope to achieve by that, demonstrations never achieve anything, if they did, we wouldn't allow them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "José Saramago" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by-that-demonstrations-never/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Demonstrations" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by-that-demonstrations-never/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/jos-saramago-208_demonstrations_what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by_1485281.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/jos-saramago-208_demonstrations_what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by_1485281.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03e/jos-saramago-208_demonstrations_what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by_1485281.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What on earth do they hope to achieve by that, demonstrations never achieve anything, if they did, we…” — José Saramago", "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": "José Saramago", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What on earth do they hope...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by-that-demonstrations-never/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/what-on-earth-do-they-hope-to-achieve-by-that-demonstrations-never/#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 } } ] } ```