Mass Action Quotes

I am the people — the mob — the crowd — the mass. Do you know that all the great work of the world is done through me?

No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.

Politics begin where the masses are, not where there are thousands, but where there are millions, that is where serious politics begin.

It is the multitude which possess force, and wisdom must yield to that.

We need a mass cleansing, street by street, piazza by piazza, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

Nothing counts but pressure, pressure, more pressure, and still more pressure through broad organized aggressive mass action.

58% of the American public are with us. We're preaching to the choir, but the choir's not singing, if all of the 58% started singing, this war would end.

One citizen, or a few, may be powerless if all the rest are determined to benefit from the imposition of unjust supranational rules. But this excuse cannot work for large numbers. Just imagine 10 million US citizens saying in unison: "I am just one powerless citizen. There is nothing I can do to change my government's policies!"

The revolutionary war is a war of the masses; it can be waged only by mobilizing the masses and relying on them. Revolution is the proper occupation of the masses.

The majority of South Africans, black and white, recognize that apartheid has no future. It has to be ended by our own decisive mass action in order to build peace and security. The mass campaign of defiance and other actions of our organization and people can only culminate in the establishment of democracy.

The general interest of the masses might take the place of the insight of genius if it were allowed freedom of action.

You cannot do anything without rousing the masses to action.

The difference between a mob and a movement is follow-through.

If the weapon of the general strike is to be utilized, then the organization must be so built up that this weapon will stand ready for instant use. For the certainty of success in a general strike lies in its suddenness. Ever more numerous and greater will become the great strikes and outbreaks of this character which shake the social life of the nation to its foundation …

One murder made a villain, Millions a hero.

Revolutions only effect a radical improvement when the masses are alert and know how to chuck out their leaders as soon as the latter have done their job.

An individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change.

we ask for too much salvation by legislation. All we need to do is empower individuals with the right philosophy and the right information to opt out en masse. (quoting Joel Salatin)

Love is the missing factor; there is a lack of affection, of warmth in relationship; and because we lack that love, that tenderness, that generosity, that mercy in relationship, we escape into mass action, which produces further confusion, further misery.

Independence can be trusted nowhere but with the people in mass. They are inherently independent of all but moral law.

A political movement must keep in touch with reality and the prevailing conditions. Long speeches, the shaking of fists, the banging of tables, and strongly worded resolutions out of touch with the objective conditions do not bring about mass action and can do a great deal of harm to the organization and the struggle we serve.

Mass movements do not usually rise until the prevailing order has been discredited.

Leaders lead but in the end it's the people who deliver.

Nixon was the one force in Montgomery for a number of years that made any effort in the direction of challenging the power structure. Ed Nixon's source of direction for that comes out of his relationship with the Brotherhood of Sleeping Care Porters and the Randolph philosophy of mass action. So, Ed Nixon really was the force that conceived of the boycott and drew up the original papers for the boycott.

It is not the kings and generals that make history, but the masses of the people.