“It is the reformer who is anxious for the reform, and not society, from which he should expect nothing better than opposition, abhorrence and even mortal persecution.”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: Gandhi, An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth (Navjivan, 1925-29).
About this quote
Change is uncomfortable, so the crowd it would help is rarely the one asking for it. The person pushing reform carries the wanting alone and should brace for resistance rather than thanks; expecting applause from a settled society only curdles into bitterness.
When to use it
- A nurse who pushes a safer procedure and meets eye-rolls before the ward slowly adopts it.
- A resident who lobbies for a crosswalk and is dismissed for years before it is finally built.
- A teacher who introduces a fairer grading approach and endures colleagues' pushback before results win them over.