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About this quote

What does it mean?
Robespierre declares that Louis must die for the nation to survive, framing sacrifice as necessary for the greater good.
In plain terms
A death is seen as essential for national survival.
What can you take from it?
Recognize the cost of political change.

Where it applies

  • discussing regime change
  • studying revolutionary ethics

Putting it to work

  • evaluate moral costs
  • consider non‑violent alternatives

Questions to consider

  • Is sacrifice ever justified?
  • What are the long‑term effects of such actions?

Another view

Justifying murder can lead to moral erosion.

More from Maximilien Robespierre

  1. Citizens, did you want a revolution without revolution?

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  2. Our revolution has made me feel the full force of the axiom that history is fiction and I am convinced that chance and intrigue have produced more heroes than …

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  3. The most extravagant idea that can be born in the head of a political thinker is to believe that it suffices for people to enter, weapons in hand, among a fore…

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