Freedom Quote by Leon Trotsky
“The end may justify the means as long as there is something that justifies the end.”
About This Quote
He suggests that ends can be justified if the means are also justified, implying a conditional moral calculus.
In simple terms: Ends may be justified if means are also justified.
Key Takeaway
Consider both outcomes and methods.
Themes
ethics
politics
consequences
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- activism
- legal debates
Key Concepts
philosophy
morality
strategy
Questions to Reflect On
- When do means become unacceptable?
- Can a good end excuse a bad means?
A Different Perspective
Justifying means can be slippery.
![“[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)
