--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These stupid peasants, who, throughout…" description: "\"These stupid peasants, who, throughout the world, hold potentates on their thrones, make statesmen illustrious, provide generals with lasting victories..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/stephen-crane-4187_anti-war_these-stupid-peasants-who-throughout-the_1202430.jpg" --- # These stupid peasants, who, throughout the world, hold… ![“These stupid peasants, who, throughout the world, hold potentates on their thrones, make statesmen illustrious, provide generals with lasting victories, all with ignorance, indifference, or half-witted hatred, moving the world with the strength of their arms, and getting their heads knocked…” quote by Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/stephen-crane-4187_anti-war_these-stupid-peasants-who-throughout-the_1202430.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/stephen-crane-4187_anti-war_these-stupid-peasants-who-throughout-the_1202430.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/stephen-crane-4187_anti-war_these-stupid-peasants-who-throughout-the_1202430.jpg) > “These stupid peasants, who, throughout the world, hold potentates on their thrones, make statesmen illustrious, provide generals with lasting victories, all with ignorance, indifference, or half-witted hatred, moving the world with the strength of their arms, and getting their heads knocked together in the name of God, the king, or the stock exchange-immortal, dreaming, hopeless asses, who surrender their reason to the care of a shining puppet, and persuade some toy to carry their lives in his purse.” [Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Powerful elites manipulate masses, using ignorance and hatred to maintain control, while the populace is driven by blind loyalty and materialism. **In simple terms:** Leaders use people's fear and greed to stay in power. Key Takeaway Question the motives behind authority. Themes power control manipulation Mood cynical critical Type political social commentary When to use this quote - political campaigns - corporate leadership - mass movements - public persuasion Key Concepts political theory social psychology Questions to Reflect On - What drives people to follow harmful leaders? - How can societies resist manipulation? A Different Perspective Blind loyalty can lead to disastrous outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anti war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-war/) [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Ass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ass/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hopeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopeless/) [Hopeless Asses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopeless-asses-3612363/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Immortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortal/) [Indifference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indifference/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Lasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasting/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Peasants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peasants/) [Peasants World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peasants-world-3612362/) [Potentates Thrones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potentates-thrones-3612364/) [Puppets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puppets/) [Purses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purses/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Statesmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statesmen/) [Stock exchange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stock-exchange/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupid Peasants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-peasants-1998856/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) [Thrones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrones/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Toys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toys/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“They are all stupid peasants, and the worst of all peasants are the so-called educated. 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