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About this quote

What does it mean?
Real lasting change requires altering underlying ideas, not just changing institutions or forms.
In plain terms
Changing systems without changing minds leads to superficial results.
What can you take from it?
Change values, not just structures.

Where it applies

  • organizational change
  • policy making
  • revolution

Putting it to work

  • audit organizational values
  • focus on culture change

Questions to consider

  • Do your reforms address root causes?
  • What values underlie your system?

Another view

Sometimes structural change must come before cultural shifts.

More from Emma Goldman

  1. Revolution is indeed a violent process. But if it is to result only in a change of dictatorship, in a shifting of names and political personalities, then it is…

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  2. In its mad passion for power, the Communist State even sought to strengthen and deepen the very ideas and conceptions which the Revolution had come to destroy.…

    Permalink to quote #26
  3. The dominant, almost general, idea of revolution - particularly the Socialist idea - is that revolution is a violent change of social conditions through which …

    Permalink to quote #23

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