--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I detested revolutions; I believed…" description: "\"“I detested revolutions; I believed, instead, in reconciliation and reform.”\" — Maziar Bahari" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/maziar-bahari-31065_peacebuilding_i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instea_1618708.jpg" --- # I detested revolutions; I believed, instead, in… ![“I detested revolutions; I believed, instead, in reconciliation and reform.” quote by Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/maziar-bahari-31065_peacebuilding_i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instea_1618708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/maziar-bahari-31065_peacebuilding_i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instea_1618708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/maziar-bahari-31065_peacebuilding_i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instea_1618708.jpg) > ““I detested revolutions; I believed, instead, in reconciliation and reform.”” [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker prefers gradual reform and reconciliation over violent revolutions. **In simple terms:** Prefers reform, not revolution. Key Takeaway Promote dialogue and incremental change. Themes politics reform peace Mood hopeful strategic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy advocacy - community building - peace talks Key Concepts social change conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How can reform be accelerated? - What role does compromise play? A Different Perspective Reforms can be slow and face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Detested Revolutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/detested-revolutions-240420/) [Instead Reconciliation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-reconciliation-240423/) [Peacebuilding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacebuilding/) [Reconciliation Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reconciliation-reform-240422/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Revolutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutions/) [Revolutions Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutions-believed-240421/) ## Related quotes > [“For similar reasons, archaic humans did not initiate any revolutions. As far as we can tell, changes in social patterns, the invention of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/for-similar-reasons-archaic-humans-did-not-initiate-any-revolutions/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [In revolutions the occasions may be trifling but great interest are at stake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/in-revolutions-the-occasions-may-be-trifling-but-great-interest-are/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“In reality, though, the first thing to ask of history is that it should point out to us the paths of liberty. The great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-reality-though-the-first-thing-to-ask-of-history-is-that-it-should/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think perhaps we manage our revolutions much more quietly in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-think-perhaps-we-manage-our-revolutions-much-more-quietly-in-this/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The effect of boredom on a large scale in history is underestimated. It is a main cause of revolutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/the-effect-of-boredom-on-a-large-scale-in-history-is-underestimated/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Some socialist movements in Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain, for instance, were genuine. I was making films about the so-called Arab Spring, and I'm well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/some-socialist-movements-in-egypt-tunisia-and-bahrain-for-instance/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [“Imagine a world where people were 10% happier and less reactive. Marriage, parenting, road rage, politics - all would be improved upon. Public health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harris/imagine-a-world-where-people-were-10-happier-and-less-reactive/) [Dan Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harris/) > [There were two, three or four French Revolutions. Like a multi-stage rocket today, the Revolution involved several successive explosions and propellant thrusts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernand-braudel/there-were-two-three-or-four-french-revolutions-like-a-multi-stage/) [Fernand Braudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernand-braudel/) > [The danger to which the success of revolutions is most exposed, is that of attempting them before the principles on which they proceed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-danger-to-which-the-success-of-revolutions-is-most-exposed-is/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revolutions/) [Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/) > [The revolutions of thought which shape the basic outlook of an age are not disseminated through text-books- they spread like epidemics, through contamination by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-revolutions-of-thought-which-shape-the-basic-outlook-of-an-age/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [Music used to cause revolutions and I'm not seeing much revolution anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/music-used-to-cause-revolutions-and-i-m-not-seeing-much-revolution/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [“Don't be afraid to go left when the world is going right. The French learned that the people have power to make change, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-r-lemieux/don-t-be-afraid-to-go-left-when-the-world-is-going-right-the-french/) [Martin R. Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-r-lemieux/) > [History respects revolutions; and yet, if a revolution is progressive, support it; if it is reactionary, resist it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/history-respects-revolutions-and-yet-if-a-revolution-is-progressive/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Fashions have done more harm than revolutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/fashions-have-done-more-harm-than-revolutions/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More by Maziar Bahari > [“Talking to a prisoner under duress can be the most shameful thing a journalist will ever do. I stared at him, willing him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/talking-to-a-prisoner-under-duress-can-be-the-most-shameful-thing-a/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“When I saw my backside, I gasped. “I have no ass!” I said aloud. “They have left me no ass!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/when-i-saw-my-backside-i-gasped-i-have-no-ass-i-said-aloud-they-have/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“After, presumably, Rosewater found out that Chekhov was not Jewish, he did not bother with any more questions about people with surnames ending with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/after-presumably-rosewater-found-out-that-chekhov-was-not-jewish-he/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Maziar,” he said sarcastically. “Don’t play games with me, or you will make me angry again. Don’t tell me that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/tsk-tsk-tsk-maziar-he-said-sarcastically-don-t-play-games-with-me-or/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“Jafaa. In Persian, this very poetic word refers to all the wrongs you do to those who love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/jafaa-in-persian-this-very-poetic-word-refers-to-all-the-wrongs-you/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“Seventy-four suspended lashes for having tea with your friend!” she said, with as much hatred as I’d ever heard in her voice. “What do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/seventy-four-suspended-lashes-for-having-tea-with-your-friend-she/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“Do you think we’re like you Americans in Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo who torture people by keeping them thirsty? We have something called ra’fateh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/do-you-think-we-re-like-you-americans-in-abu-ghraib-and-guant-namo/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“We were all caught in that uncomfortable zone between trying to save our lives and betraying ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/we-were-all-caught-in-that-uncomfortable-zone-between-trying-to-save/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“You need to have your lunch before going out to report on this ashghal,” she said, referring to Ahmadinejad. Ashghal, the Persian word for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/you-need-to-have-your-lunch-before-going-out-to-report-on-this/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“The next day, Sunday, June 14, Ahmadinejad held a press conference in the office of the president, on Pasteur Street in south Tehran. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/the-next-day-sunday-june-14-ahmadinejad-held-a-press-conference-in/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“No one believes in the koseh she’r”—the bullshit—“that you’re going to say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/no-one-believes-in-the-koseh-she-r-the-bullshit-that-you-re-going-to/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“In arranged marriages in Iran, it is customary that after the family of the boy asks the family of the girl for her hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/in-arranged-marriages-in-iran-it-is-customary-that-after-the-family/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“When I asked him what he was planning to do in Canada, he didn’t have an answer. “I don’t care about myself anymore. I’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/when-i-asked-him-what-he-was-planning-to-do-in-canada-he-didn-t-have/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“You thought of dying as a value. Young people these days appreciate being alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/you-thought-of-dying-as-a-value-young-people-these-days-appreciate/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) > [“In fact, in the 1990s an adviser to the mayor of Tehran suggested that they add Prozac to Tehran’s water to revitalize the citizens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/in-fact-in-the-1990s-an-adviser-to-the-mayor-of-tehran-suggested-that/) [Maziar Bahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) [Explore all 16 Maziar Bahari quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/) ## More Peacebuilding quotes > [“There is no time for patience - there is no time for diplomacy - there is no time for policies, legislations and meaningless paperwork.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-is-no-time-for-patience-there-is-no-time-for-diplomacy-there-is/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy you cover the known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-archaeology-you-uncover-the-unknown-in-diplomacy-you-cover-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nonviolence will empower and equip us to bring generations to the table and fuse our knowledge, gifts, and zeal together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-king/nonviolence-will-empower-and-equip-us-to-bring-generations-to-the/) [Bernice King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-king/) > [Too many people think that reconciliation means you soft-pedal differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/too-many-people-think-that-reconciliation-means-you-soft-pedal/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nonviolence-is-a-weapon-of-the-strong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most successful cultural diplomacy strategy integrates people-to-people or arts/culture/media-to-people interactions into the basic business of diplomacy. The programs in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-p-schneider/the-most-successful-cultural-diplomacy-strategy-integrates-people-to/) [Cynthia P. Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-p-schneider/) > [War is always a failure. It means we've failed in diplomacy and we've failed in talking to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/war-is-always-a-failure-it-means-we-ve-failed-in-diplomacy-and-we-ve/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [The mission of Christian humility in social life is not merely to edify, but to keep minds open to many alternatives. The rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-mission-of-christian-humility-in-social-life-is-not-merely-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Nonviolence is the very essence of the gospels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-iswolsky/nonviolence-is-the-very-essence-of-the-gospels/) [Helene Iswolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-iswolsky/) > [“Gandhi is best remembered for his adherence to the principle of nonviolence; but no less important was his adherence to non-demonization. Even when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-truett-anderson/gandhi-is-best-remembered-for-his-adherence-to-the-principle-of/) [Walter Truett Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-truett-anderson/) > [Overall relations between the North and the South have developed in favor of national reconciliation, unity and reunification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-il/overall-relations-between-the-north-and-the-south-have-developed-in/) [Kim Jong Il](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-il/) > [The Attainment of freedom, whether for a person, a nation or a world, must be in exact proportion to the attainment of nonviolence for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-attainment-of-freedom-whether-for-a-person-a-nation-or-a-world/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Commitment to nonviolence must not be based on patient acquiescence in intolerable conditions. Rather, it stems from a deeper knowledge of the self-defeating, self-corrupting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-t-dellinger/commitment-to-nonviolence-must-not-be-based-on-patient-acquiescence/) [David T. Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-t-dellinger/) [Browse all 923 Peacebuilding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacebuilding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I detested revolutions; I believed, instead, in reconciliation and reform.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maziar Bahari" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instead-in-reconciliation-and-reform/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Peacebuilding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instead-in-reconciliation-and-reform/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/maziar-bahari-31065_peacebuilding_i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instea_1618708.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/maziar-bahari-31065_peacebuilding_i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instea_1618708.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/maziar-bahari-31065_peacebuilding_i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instea_1618708.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I detested revolutions; I believed, instead, in reconciliation and reform.” — Maziar Bahari", "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": "Maziar Bahari", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maziar-bahari/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I detested revolutions; I believed, instead,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instead-in-reconciliation-and-reform/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maziar-bahari/i-detested-revolutions-i-believed-instead-in-reconciliation-and-reform/#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 } } ] } ```