Oh my friends, the down-trodden operatives of Coketown! Oh my friends and fellow-countrymen, the slaves of an ironhanded and a grinding despotism! Oh my friends and fellow-sufferers, and fellow-workmen, and fellow-men! I tell you that the hour is come, when we must rally round one another as One united power, and crumble into dust the oppressors that too long have battened upon the plunder of our families, upon the sweat of our brows, upon the labour of our hands, upon the strength of our sinews, upon the God-created glorious rights of Humanity, and upon the holy and eternal privileges of Brotherhood!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker calls oppressed workers to unite and overthrow their harsh rulers.
- In plain terms
- Workers should join together to fight against their cruel bosses.
- What can you take from it?
- Unity is the only way to defeat strong oppression.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is rebellion justified?
- What creates true unity?
Another view
Revolutionary rhetoric can sometimes ignore the cost of conflict.
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