--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We may repeat the awful revolutionary…" description: "\"We may repeat the awful revolutionary history of the 20th century because of the vulnerability of social movements to demagoguery.\" — Todd Gitlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47a/todd-gitlin-16525_20th-century_we-may-repeat-the-awful-revolutionary-hi_2504971.jpg" --- # We may repeat the awful revolutionary history of the 20th… ![“We may repeat the awful revolutionary history of the 20th century because of the vulnerability of social movements to demagoguery.” quote by Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47a/todd-gitlin-16525_20th-century_we-may-repeat-the-awful-revolutionary-hi_2504971.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47a/todd-gitlin-16525_20th-century_we-may-repeat-the-awful-revolutionary-hi_2504971.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47a/todd-gitlin-16525_20th-century_we-may-repeat-the-awful-revolutionary-hi_2504971.jpg) > “We may repeat the awful revolutionary history of the 20th century because of the vulnerability of social movements to demagoguery.” [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights how social movements can repeat past revolutionary mistakes due to susceptibility to demagogues. **In simple terms:** Movements can repeat history if led by demagogues. Key Takeaway Guard against charismatic manipulation. Themes politics history leadership Mood cautious critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - political campaigns - activist organizing - education workshops Key Concepts demagoguery movement dynamics historical cycles Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect movements? - How to recognize demagoguery early? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on demagoguery may ignore structural factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demagoguery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demagoguery/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social movements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-movements/) [Vulnerability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerability/) ## Related quotes > [We have a revolutionary history to honor and uphold. Which was what Nelson Mandela did. He reminded us of that which we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/we-have-a-revolutionary-history-to-honor-and-uphold-which-was-what/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [Many of the wonderful achievements of the 20th century were the result of the pursuit of profits. Unfortunately, demagoguery has led to profits becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/many-of-the-wonderful-achievements-of-the-20th-century-were-the/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [Maybe Pope Francis will say something on his visit to the US, maybe he'll rebuke Donald Trump and anti-immigrant racism and demagoguery beautifully, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-goldman/maybe-pope-francis-will-say-something-on-his-visit-to-the-us-maybe-he/) [Francisco Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-goldman/) > [Populism, literally, means speaking for 'the people.' In practice it means demagoguery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/populism-literally-means-speaking-for-the-people-in-practice-it-means/) [Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/) > [For too long, too many people dependent on Social Security have been cruelly frightened by individuals seeking political gain through demagoguery and outright falsehood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/for-too-long-too-many-people-dependent-on-social-security-have-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I find it deeply disturbing that someone wanting to be president of the United States would talk the way Donald Trump talks, use the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-find-it-deeply-disturbing-that-someone-wanting-to-be-president-of/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“It's an election year. We would prefer that voters didn't use common sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/it-s-an-election-year-we-would-prefer-that-voters-didn-t-use-common/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [It is when it is contended that "in a democracy right is what the majority makes it to be" that democracy degenerates into demagoguery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-when-it-is-contended-that-in-a-democracy-right-is-what-the/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Every collectivist revolution rides in on a Trojan horse of "emergency". It was the tactic of Lenin, Hitler, and Mussolini. In the collectivist sweep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/every-collectivist-revolution-rides-in-on-a-trojan-horse-of-emergency/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [I've said many times - I told William Buckley, I said, "You warped my mind and I never recovered from it." That was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/i-ve-said-many-times-i-told-william-buckley-i-said-you-warped-my-mind/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [Demagoguery sells. And therefore, radio stations will put it on. But that doesn't mean that you can't do something else and also make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/demagoguery-sells-and-therefore-radio-stations-will-put-it-on-but/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [Without the truth of the people, politics degenerates into mere spectacle and democracy declines, leaving demagoguery and cynicism to fill the void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/without-the-truth-of-the-people-politics-degenerates-into-mere/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [More important than anything else is for Americans to wise up to class warfare demagoguery and reject the politics of envy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/more-important-than-anything-else-is-for-americans-to-wise-up-to/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [Class warfare or soaking the so-called rich may make for good populist demagoguery and serve the political ends of the governing masterminds, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/class-warfare-or-soaking-the-so-called-rich-may-make-for-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “You \[demagogues\] are like the fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/you-demagogues-are-like-the-fishers-for-eels-in-still-waters-they/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) ## More by Todd Gitlin > [The genius of the economic machine is in its ability to convert these indulgences into profitability. It converts desire into attention, a grip on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/the-genius-of-the-economic-machine-is-in-its-ability-to-convert-these/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [All I will say is that there are particular features of the American constitutional system that renders a third party futile - at best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/all-i-will-say-is-that-there-are-particular-features-of-the-american/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [Human inertia makes the everyday environment, the furniture, as it were, appear to be a given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/human-inertia-makes-the-everyday-environment-the-furniture-as-it-were/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [I first came to think about media and politics in the late 1960s, having observed some distortions up close, but since then I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/i-first-came-to-think-about-media-and-politics-in-the-late-1960s/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [I don't for the life of me understand how anybody could contemplate the results of the 2000 election in the US and say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/i-don-t-for-the-life-of-me-understand-how-anybody-could-contemplate/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [Right now, we have no possibility of politics because we have a one-party state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/right-now-we-have-no-possibility-of-politics-because-we-have-a-one/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [The mobilisation which Bush has been able to perform since 11 September 2001 has to be fought - at least by Americans - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/the-mobilisation-which-bush-has-been-able-to-perform-since-11/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [Navigation is power of a limited sort - it enables us to manage the immensity of the media torrent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/navigation-is-power-of-a-limited-sort-it-enables-us-to-manage-the/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [My book is focused on the power of the American state, not least because the government of the United States governs so much that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/my-book-is-focused-on-the-power-of-the-american-state-not-least/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [Mills insisted that a sociologist's proper subject was the intersection of biography and history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/mills-insisted-that-a-sociologist-s-proper-subject-was-the/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [Sure, I've often been misrepresented - anyone frequently quoted has this experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/sure-i-ve-often-been-misrepresented-anyone-frequently-quoted-has-this/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [A century of convulsive change leaves huge demographic gouge marks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/a-century-of-convulsive-change-leaves-huge-demographic-gouge-marks/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [If the Bible is a creation myth, it is an amorphous confusing one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/if-the-bible-is-a-creation-myth-it-is-an-amorphous-confusing-one/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [So every day I'm mindful as I watch the Bush crowd extend their sway into policies of every imaginable variety, and over almost every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/so-every-day-i-m-mindful-as-i-watch-the-bush-crowd-extend-their-sway/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) > [Some versions of patriotism come close to the tribal, which we all want to surpass, and some don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gitlin/some-versions-of-patriotism-come-close-to-the-tribal-which-we-all/) [Todd Gitlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) [Explore all 39 Todd Gitlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gitlin/) ## More 20th century quotes > [I think the inhabitants of the past are fighting hard to keep the rents they acquired in the 20th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/i-think-the-inhabitants-of-the-past-are-fighting-hard-to-keep-the/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [Corporate America is a 20th-century dinosaur, trembling on the edge of extinction, and the only way for you to have a genuinely secure future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/corporate-america-is-a-20th-century-dinosaur-trembling-on-the-edge-of/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [America thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free. 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Before then, reading and writing were skills largely confined to a small, highly educated class of professional people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-goal-before-then-reading-and/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [The great wars of the 20th Century made it into the worst Century ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-ambrose/the-great-wars-of-the-20th-century-made-it-into-the-worst-century-ever/) [Stephen Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-ambrose/) > [That is very different from how it used to be in the 20th century. Media was very one way. There's a small little industry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/that-is-very-different-from-how-it-used-to-be-in-the-20th-century/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [If you look back on the history of the 20th century, the 19th century or even to the ancien régime of the 18th, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/if-you-look-back-on-the-history-of-the-20th-century-the-19th-century/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Up to the 20th century, we can say that this whole period was an Earth epoch, 'Earth' meaning the riches of the earth, simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/up-to-the-20th-century-we-can-say-that-this-whole-period-was-an-earth/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [I think this century more than any other really has seen the phenomenon of people being uprooted in such numbers, such a degree. 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