Thus Dante's motto over Inferno applies with equal force to marriage: "Ye who enter here leave all hope behind. Emma Goldman More Quotes by Emma Goldman More Quotes From Emma Goldman Nothing would prove more disastrous to our ideas, we contended, than to neglect the effect of the internal upon the external, of the psychological motives and needs upon existing institutions. Emma Goldman psychological ideas needs The dominant, almost general, idea of revolution - particularly the Socialist idea - is that revolution is a violent change of social conditions through which one social class, the working class, becomes dominant over another class, the capitalist class. It is the conception of a purely physical change, and as such it involves only political scene shifting and institutional rearrangements Emma Goldman political class ideas When primitive man heard thunder or saw the lightning, he could not account for either, and therefore concluded that back of them must be a force greater than himself. Similarly he saw a supernatural force in the rain, and in the various other changes in nature. Emma Goldman supernatural-forces rain men Direct action is the logical, consistent method of Anarchism. Emma Goldman direct-action method logical It cannot be sufficiently emphasized that revolution is in vain unless inspired by its ultimate ideal. Revolutionary methods must be in tune with revolutionary aims. Emma Goldman inspired revolution tunes The Christian religion and morality extols the glory of the Hereafter, and therefore remains indifferent to the horrors of the earth. Indeed, the idea of self-denial and of all that makes for pain and sorrow is its test of human worth, its passport to the entry into heaven. Emma Goldman pain self christian We say that if America has entered the war to make the world safe for democracy, she must first make democracy safe in America. How else is the world to take America seriously, when democracy at home is daily being outraged, free speech suppressed, peaceable assemblies broken up by overbearing and brutal gangsters in uniform; when free press is curtailed and every independent opinion gagged? Verily, poor as we are in democracy, how can we give of it to the world? Emma Goldman independent home war Today is the parent of tomorrow. The present casts its shadow far into the future. That is the law of life, individual and social. Revolution that divests itself of ethical values thereby lays the foundation of injustice, deceit, and oppression for the future society. The means used to prepare the future become its cornerstone. Emma Goldman parent law mean The history of human growth is at the same time the history of every new idea heralding the approach of a brighter dawn, and the brighter dawn has always been considered illegal, outside of the law. Emma Goldman growth law ideas Perhaps even more than constituted authority, it is social uniformity and sameness that harass the individual most. Emma Goldman individual authority social True emancipation begins neither at the polls nor in the courts. It begins in woman's soul. Emma Goldman court freedom soul True, the movement for woman's rights has broken many old fetters, but it has also forged new ones. Emma Goldman feminism broken rights What is generally regarded as success - acquisition of wealth, the capture of power or social prestige - I consider the most dismal failures. I hold when it is said of a man that he has arrived, it means that he is finished - his development has stopped at that point. Emma Goldman acquisition men mean Success achieved by the most contemptible means cannot but destroy the soul. ... It helps to cover up the inner corruption and gradually dulls one's scruples, so that those who begin with some high ambition cannot, even if they would, create anything out of themselves. Emma Goldman ambition success mean I want freedom, the right to self-expression, everybody's right to beautiful, radiant things.' Anarchism meant that to me, and I would live it in spite of the whole world — prisons, persecution, everything. Yes, even in spite of the condemnation of my own closest comrades I would live my beautiful ideal. Emma Goldman expression self beautiful Those who sit in a glass house do wrong to throw stones about them; besides, the American glass house is rather thin, it will break easily, and the interior is anything but a gainly sight. Emma Goldman glasses broken sight The inherent tendency of the State is to concentrate, to narrow, and monopolize all social activities; the nature of revolution is, on the contrary, to grow, to broaden, and disseminate Emma Goldman revolution circles social What is patriotism? Is it love of one's birthplace, the place of childhood's recollections and hopes, dreams and aspirations? Is it the place where, in childlike naïveté, we would watch the Emma Goldman stars eye dream There is no hope even that woman, with her right to vote, will ever purify politics. Emma Goldman right-to-vote no-hope vote If elections really changed anything, they would be outlawed. Emma Goldman election changed would-be
