"The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves"
About this Quote
The intent is political as much as personal. Trotsky, a professional revolutionary and eventual castaway of his own revolution, is arguing against sentimental readings of human nature and against complacent faith in “normal life” as a measure of goodness. Customary conditions let people outsource morality to institutions, to norms, to the expectations of their class. Crisis forces a reckoning: when rules evaporate, you learn whether someone has internal discipline or merely borrowed it.
The subtext carries a hard edge: revolution is not just an event that changes governments; it’s a stress test that exposes collaborators, opportunists, cowards, and true believers. That’s also why the quote has an unsettling double use. It can dignify courage under pressure, but it can just as easily justify pressure as a way to manufacture truth about people - a logic that has haunted revolutionary regimes. Trotsky’s faith in “reserves” suggests there is something durable inside us. His life suggests how brutally history goes about proving it.
Quote Details
| Topic | Ethics & Morality |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite | Cite this Quote |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Trotsky, Leon. (n.d.). The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-depth-and-strength-of-a-human-character-are-16489/
Chicago Style
Trotsky, Leon. "The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves." FixQuotes. Accessed February 2, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-depth-and-strength-of-a-human-character-are-16489/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves." FixQuotes, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-depth-and-strength-of-a-human-character-are-16489/. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
