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March 30, 2005

From "Memoirs of a Revolutionist"

"Having been brought up in a serf-owner's family, I entered active life, like all young men of my time, with a great deal of confidence in the necessity of commanding, ordering, scolding, punishing and the like. But when, at an early stage, I had to manage serious enterprises and to deal with [free] men, and when each mistake would lead at once to heavy consequences, I began to appreciate the difference between acting on the principle of command and discipline and acting on the principle of common understanding. The former works admirably in a military parade, but it is worth noting where real life is concerned, and the aim can be achieved only through the severe effort of many converging wills."

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Posted by Xiao at March 30, 2005 10:39 PM

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