Those who “abjure” violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf.
George Orwell (1903-1950) English journalist, essayist, writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1945-05), “Notes on Nationalism,” Polemic Magazine (1945-10)
(Source)
This seems to be the origin of the Orwell misattribution, "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." This is not found in Orwell's works (or in those of Winston Churchill, to whom the more colorful quote is sometimes attributed), but was a paraphrase of Orwell by Richard Grenier in his article "Perils of Passive Sex," Washington Times (1992-04-06).
For more discussion of this quotation, see:
