Jean Francois Revel Professions : Journalist Born : January 19, 1924 Died : April 30, 2006 Browse All Authors Top 6 quotes by Jean Francois Revel Democracy tends to ignore, even deny, threats to its existence because it loathes doing what is needed to counter them," explained Revel. "It awakens only when the danger becomes deadly, imminent, and evident. By then, either there is too little time left for it to save itself, or the price of survival has become crushingly high. Jean Francois Revel democracy survival littles A human group transforms itself into a crowd when it suddenly responds to a suggestion rather than to reasoning, to an image rather than to an idea, to an affirmation rather than to proof, to the repetition of a phrase rather than to arguments, to prestige rather than to competence. Jean Francois Revel suggestions groups ideas The totalitarian phenomenon is not to be understood without making an allowance for the thesis that some important part of every society consists of people who actively want tyranny: either to exercise it themselves or - much more mysteriously - to submit to it. Jean Francois Revel important exercise people To totalitarianism, an opponent is by definition subversive; democracy treats subversives as mere opponents for fear of betraying its principles. Jean Francois Revel definitions democracy principles Clearly, a civilization that feels guilty for everything it is and does will lack the energy and conviction to defend itself. Jean Francois Revel energy doe civilization In Europe, anti-Americanism is much more a hobgoblin of the political, cultural, and religious elites. Jean Francois Revel political religious europe Similar Authors Irving Bacheller journalist Bill Keller journalist Bob Woodward journalist Bolesław Prus journalist Buzz Bissinger journalist Burton Rascoe journalist All Authors
