Alexander Berkman Quotes

“Inhumanity is the keynote of stupidity in power.”

— Alexander Berkman

“Violence is the method of ignorance, the weapon of the weak. The strong of heart and brain need no violence, for they are irresistible in their consciousness of being right.”

— Alexander Berkman

“If you can see, hear, feel, and think, you should know that King Dollar rules the United States, and that the workers are robbed and exploited in this country to the heart's content of the masters.
If you are not deaf, dumb, and blind, then you know that the American bourgeois democracy and capitalistic civilization are the worst enemies of labor and progress, and that instead of protecting them, you should help to fight to destroy them.”

— Alexander Berkman

“Away with the hypocritical horror on the part of capitalist, labor leader, and politician.”

— Alexander Berkman

“What is a fanatic but a man whose faith is impregnable to doubt? It is the faith that moves mountains, the faith that accomplishes. Revolutions are not made by Hamlets. The traditional "great" man, the "big personality" of current conception, may give to the world new thoughts, noble vision, inspiration. But the man that "sees every side" cannot lead, cannot control. He is too conscious of the fallibility of all theories, even of thought itself, to be a fighter in any cause.”

— Alexander Berkman

“The stupendous task of human regeneration will be accomplished only by the purified vision of hearts that grow not cold.”

— Alexander Berkman

“War means blind obedience, unthinking stupidity, brutish callousness, wanton destruction, and irresponsible murder.”

— Alexander Berkman

“War paralyzes your courage and deadens the spirit of true manhood.”

— Alexander Berkman

Man's inhumanity to man is not the last word. The truth lies deeper. It is economic slavery, the savage struggle for a crumb, that has converted mankind into wolves and sheep.

— Alexander Berkman

“When the highwayman holds his gun to your head, you turn your valuables over to him. You 'consent' alright, but you do so because you cannot help yourself, because you are compelled by his gun. Are you not compelled to work for an employer? Your need compels you, just as the highwayman's gun.”

— Alexander Berkman

Anarchy: It is NOT bombs, disorder or chaos. It is NOT robbery and murder. It is NOT a war of each against all. It is NOT a return to barbarism or to the wild state of man. Anarchism is the very opposite of all that.

— Alexander Berkman

Certainly the worker has nothing to lose by a change from government and capitalism to a condition of no government, of anarchy.

— Alexander Berkman

“It is the system, rather than individuals, that is the source of pollution and degradation. My prison-house environment is but another manifestation of the Midas-hand, whose cursed touch turns everything to the brutal service of Mammon.”

— Alexander Berkman

“Anarchism means voluntary co-operation instead of forced participation. It means harmony and order in place of interference and disorder.”

— Alexander Berkman

“In short, Anarchism means a condition or society where all men and women are free, and where all enjoy equally the benefits of an ordered and sensible life.”

— Alexander Berkman

“The man who can face vilification and disgrace, who can stand up against the popular current, even against his friends and his country when he know he is right, who can defy those in authority over him, who can take punishment and prison and remain steadfast-that is a man of courage. The fellow whom you taunt as a 'slacker' because he refuses to turn murderer-he needs courage. But do you need much courage just to obey orders, to do as you are told and to fall in line with thousands of others to the tune of general approval and the Star Spangled Banner?”

— Alexander Berkman

“What is this thing we call government? Is it anything but organized violence? The law orders you to obey, and if you don't obey, it will compel you by force - all governments, all law and authority finally rest on force and violence, on punishment or fear of punishment.”

— Alexander Berkman

“Existence has become an unreasoning, wild dance around the golden calf, a mad worship of God Mammon. In that dance and in that worship man has sacrificed all his finer qualities of the heart and soul - kindness and justice, honor and manhood, compassion and sympathy with his fellowman.”

— Alexander Berkman

“Socialism, like Christianity destroyed itself to gain power”

— Alexander Berkman

“Are you not compelled to work for an employer? Your need compels you just as the highwayman's gun. You must live ... You can't work for yourself ... The factories, machinery, and tools belong to the employing class, so you must hire yourself out to that class in order to work and live. Whatever you work at, whoever your employer may be, it always comes to the same: you must workfor him. You can't help yourself. You are compelled.”

— Alexander Berkman

“The cure for evil and disorder is more liberty, not suppression.”

— Alexander Berkman