“I invite even the school of violence to give this peaceful non-co-operation a trial. It will not fail through its inherent weakness. It may fail because of poverty of response. Then will be one time for real danger. The high-souled men, who are unable to suffer national humiliation any longer, will want to vent their wrath. They will take to violence.”
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About this quote
A disciplined, peaceful method only works if enough people actually commit to it. When it collapses for lack of takers rather than for any flaw in the idea, those who can no longer stomach indignity stop restraining themselves — and that abandoned channel is where the real danger begins.
When to use it
- A workplace petition that fails not because it's wrong but because too few colleagues dare to sign it.
- A tenants' group that tries orderly negotiation first, so frustration doesn't curdle into vandalism.
- A fair complaint process that, once ignored, pushes worn-out staff toward quiet sabotage.