Leon Trotsky

From being a patriotic myth, the Russian people have become an awful reality.

The dynamic of revolutionary events is directly determined by swift, intense, and passionate changes in the psychology of classes which have already formed themselves before the revolution.

Learning carries within itself certain dangers because out of necessity one has to learn from one’s enemies.

Life is not an easy matter… You cannot live through it without falling into frustration and cynicism unless you have before you a great idea which raises you above personal misery, above weakness, above all kinds of perfidy and baseness.

Revolutions are always verbose.

England is nothing but the last ward of the European madhouse, and quite possibly it will prove to be the ward for particularly violent cases.

This gives force to the strong — that the multitude have no habit of self-reliance or original action.

I hate the irreverent rabble and keep them far from me.

Well, when it comes to social media – there are just times I turn off the world, you know. There are just some times you have to give yourself space to be quiet, which means you’ve got to set those phones down. You can’t be reading all that stuff. I mean, that’s like letting somebody just walk up and slap you, you know? You would never do that. You would never just sit there and go, slap me in the face and I’m good with it. No. So why would you open yourself up to that?

Failure after long perseverance is much grander than never to have a striving good enough to be called a failure.

I hold every man a debtor to his profession.

None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.

Undeservedly you will atone for the sins of your fathers.

Nature has made up her mind that what cannot defend itself shall not be defended.

The Country is both the Philosopher’s Garden and his Library, in which he Reads and Contemplates the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God.

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.

Only trust thyself, and another shall not betray thee.

Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you.

Questioning is not the mode of conversation among gentlemen.

He that has given today may, if he so please, take away tomorrow.

Religion is as effectually destroyed by bigotry as by indifference.