Arendt, Hannah -- The Human Condition, Part 5, ch. 28 “Power and the Space of Appearance” (1958)

Dave — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 22:01:09 +0000

Popular revolt against materially strong rulers, on the other hand, may engender an almost irresistible power even if it foregoes the use of violence in the face of materially vastly superior forces. To call this “passive resistance” is certainly an ironic idea; it is one of the most active and efficient ways of action ever devised, because it cannot be countered by fighting, where there may be defeat or victory, but only by mass slaughter in which even the victor is defeated, cheated of his prize, since nobody can rule over dead men.

Hannah Arendt (1906–1975) German-American philosopher, political theorist
The Human Condition, Part 5, ch. 28 “Power and the Space of Appearance” (1958)
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Arendt, Hannah -- The Human Condition, Part 5, ch. 28 “Power and the Space of Appearance” (1958)