“It is authority that provokes revolution…. This occurs when a feeling of impunity takes root among the elite: We are allowed anything, we can do anything. This is a delusion, but it rests on a certain rational foundation. For a while it does indeed look as if they can do whatever they want. Scandal after scandal and illegality after illegality go unpunished. The people remain silent…They are afraid and do not yet feel their own strength. At the same time, they keep a detailed account of the wrongs, which at one particular moment are to be added up. The choice of that moment is the greatest riddle of history.”

— Ryszard Kapuściński, book Shah of Shahs

Shah of Shahs, Vintage International edition, p. 106

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Ryszard Kapuściński6

Polish historian 1932–2007

Michael Kinsley (1951) American political journalist, commentator television host

As quoted on Crossfire, CNN, Nov. 15, 1990.

“There's no doubt about it. It is an illegal take-over. It's an illegal take-over to clean up the mess of a much bigger illegal activity of the previous government. So what choice do you have? To me, it's better that you do this illegal activity to clean up a much bigger, illegal mess so that we can bring peace … to the people of Fiji.”

Jona Senilagakali (1929–2011) Prime Minister of Fiji

in a December 6, 2006 interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation

“When people feel that they are empowered… then they can do whatever they want to do. It’s their country to change.”

Ana Brnabić (1975) Prime Minister of Serbia

Source: "National Digital Transformation: A Conversation With Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabic" in Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwolcott/2021/06/15/national-digital-transformation-a-conversation-with-serbias-prime-minister-ana-brnabic/?sh=429139813889 (15 June 2021)

“I think people should be allowed to do anything they want. We haven't tried that for a while. Maybe this time it'll work.”

George Carlin (1937–2008) American stand-up comedian

Books, Napalm and Silly Putty (2001)

“Everything's a scandal. Dying's a scandal. But we all do it.”

Don DeLillo book Cosmopolis

Source: Cosmopolis

“President Poroshenko and his regime enjoy impunity and plan provocations like the one that occurred at the entrance to the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea. Literally a day after this blatant provocation, the text of the order…was found on one of the boats… It said that the boats should covertly, without requesting authorisation of the Russian authorities…Why?…There may only be one answer: they wanted to provoke a scandal.”

Sergey Lavrov (1950) Russian politician and Foreign Minister

News conference following the 25th OSCE Ministerial Council, Milan, Italy (7 December 2018)

“There are some pains that run too deep for anything to absolve them. The best we can do is pick up the pieces and hope for the strength we need to keep going.”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Acheron

“The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer.”

Henry Kissinger (1923–2023) United States Secretary of State

As quoted in The Washington Post (23 December 1973); he later joked further on this remark, on 10 March 1975 saying to Turkish Foreign Minister Melih Esenbel in Ankara, Turkey:<br>Before the Freedom of Information Act, I used to say at meetings "The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer." … But since the Freedom of Information Act, I'm afraid to say things like that. <br class="br">As quoted in "Sunshine Week Document Friday! Kissinger Says, “The illegal we do immediately; the unconstitutional takes a little longer. But since the FOIA, I’m afraid to say things like that.” in Unredacted : The National Security Archive, unedited and uncensored http://nsarchive.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/document-friday-kissinger-says-the-illegal-we-do-immediately-the-unconstitutional-takes-a-little-longer-but-since-the-foia-im-afraid-to-say-things-like-that/ <br class="br">Included in Cable P860114-1573_MC_b http://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/P860114-1573_MC_b.html#efmCS3CUB Wikileaks <br class="br">1970s

“The most valuable thing we can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of room, not try to be or do anything whatever.”

May Sarton (1912–1995) American poet, novelist, and memoirist

“You complain that I have committed illegal acts. Of course I have. We all have. The Revolution is illegal. The fall of the Bastille was illegal. The formation of this republic was illegal, as illegal as liberty itself. Citizens, did you want a revolution without a revolution?”

Maximilien Robespierre (1758–1794) French revolutionary lawyer and politician

Misc Quotes
Original: (fr) Citoyens, vouliez-vous une révolution sans révolution?

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Ryszard Kapuściński6

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