For evil to succeed, all it needs is for good men to do nothing.

—Martin Luther King Jr.

success evil inaction

About Martin Luther King Jr.

Portrait of Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister who was a prominent leader of the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. He advanced civil rights in the United States through...

More quotations from Martin Luther King Jr.

We are not makers of history. We are made by history.

—Martin Luther King Jr.

action history change fate

Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.

—Martin Luther King Jr.

spirituality power science

Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate.… Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

—Martin Luther King Jr.

war love hate violence hatred darkness

We who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.

—Martin Luther King Jr.

civil disobedience nonviolence tension

People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.

—Martin Luther King Jr.

understanding empathy fear knowledge communication

More quotations tagged with “inaction”

Throughout history it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that have made it possible for evil to triumph.

—Haile Selassie

justice silence indifference evil inaction

Nothing will ever be attempted, if all possible objections must be first overcome.

—Samuel Johnson

action inaction objections

I thought it would all fall into place. I've changed my mind. Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make them or they're made for you, but you can't avoid them.

—Mhairi McFarlane in You Had Me At Hello

life change thought inaction decisions serendipity

Some people like my advice so much that they frame it upon the wall instead of using it.

—Gordon R. Dickson

action advice inaction

Speech is conveniently located midway between thought and action, where it often substitutes for both.

—John Andrew Holmes

action speech inaction

History

8 Jun 2014 Added