Impoliteness Quote by Leon Trotsky
““A revolution is always distinguished by impoliteness, probably because the ruling classes did not take the trouble in good season to teach the people fine manners.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: The Russian Revolution, 1917
Revolutions often involve rude behavior because the elite avoid teaching civility to the masses.
In simple terms: Revolutions are messy and impolite.
Key Takeaway
Expect disorder during radical change.
Themes
politics
revolution
class conflict
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- protests
- political upheaval
- grassroots movements
- education reform
Key Concepts
social hierarchy
civil discourse
Questions to Reflect On
- Can civility coexist with revolutionary zeal?
- How does class education affect protest tactics?
A Different Perspective
Politeness may be a tool for maintaining power.
![“[Joseph] Stalin closes the exposition of these [Leon Trotsky] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of [Vladimir] Lenin's conception of the proletarian revolution."” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/240/leon-trotsky-2558_characteristics_joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-t_33931.jpg)
![“In Stalin each [Soviet bureaucrat] easily finds himself. But Stalin also finds in each one a small part of his own spirit. Stalin is the personification of the bureaucracy. That is the substance of his political personality.” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/01b/leon-trotsky-2558_bureaucracy_in-stalin-each-soviet-bureaucrat-easily_198840.jpg)
![“I am still amazed at the amount of Christian charity [Wellesley] stuck us all with, a kind of glazed politeness in the face of boredom and stupidity. Tolerance, in the worst sense of the word. How marvelous it would have been to go to a women's college that encouraged impoliteness, that rewarded…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c17/nora-ephron-1217_aggression_i-am-still-amazed-at-the-amount-of-chris_2240830.jpg)
