"All history has been a history of class struggles between dominated classes at various stages of social development"
- Friedrich Engels
About this Quote
This quote by Friedrich Engels recommends that throughout history, there has actually been a struggle in between classes of individuals who remain in a position of power and those who are in a position of subordination. This struggle has actually existed in all phases of social advancement, from ancient times to today day. Engels believed that this struggle was an outcome of the unequal circulation of resources and power in society. He argued that the privileged classes had an unreasonable advantage over the dominated classes, which this inequality was the origin of the class struggle. Engels believed that the only way to end this battle was to produce a more equitable society where everyone had access to the exact same resources and chances. He argued that this might just be accomplished through a transformation that would topple the existing power structures and create a more simply and fair society.
"A lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect"
"We have our own history, our own language, our own culture. But our destiny is also tied up with the destinies of other people - history has made us all South Africans"
"It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins. To make a people great it is necessary to send them to battle even if you have to kick them in the pants. That is what I shall do"
