History of Political Nihilism
In 1842, many Russian dissidents appear to have espoused nihilistic viewpoints. Here is a relevant quote from Russian Nihilist Dmitri Pisarev:
- "Here is the ultimatum of our camp. What can be smashed must be smashed; whatever will stand the blow is sound, what flies into smithereens is rubbish; at any rate, hit out right and left, no harm will or can come of it."
and another one from Russian anarchist Mikhail Bakunin:
- "the negation of what exists ... for the benefit of the future which does not exist."
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Famous quotes containing the words history of, history, political and/or nihilism:
“We said that the history of mankind depicts man; in the same way one can maintain that the history of science is science itself.”
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“History takes time.... History makes memory.”
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“If all political power be derived only from Adam, and be to descend only to his successive heirs, by the ordinance of God and divine institution, this is a right antecedent and paramount to all government; and therefore the positive laws of men cannot determine that, which is itself the foundation of all law and government, and is to receive its rule only from the law of God and nature.”
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“Nihilism: any aim is lacking, any answer to the question “why” is lacking. What does nihilism mean?—that the supreme values devaluate themselves.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)