July 8, 2010

#1,439

Revolution is progressivist and seeks the strengthening of the state; rebellion is reactionary and seeks its disappearance.
The revolutionary is a potential government official; the rebel is a reactionary in action.

Escolios a un Texto Implícito: Selección, p. 243

2 comments:

  1. The original Spanish is:

    La revolución es progresista y busca el robustecimiento del estado; la rebelión es reaccionaria y busca su desvanecimiento.
    El revolucionario es un funcionario en potencia; el rebelde es un reaccionario en acto.

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  2. My translation, unfortunately, does not make as clear as the Spanish does that Gómez Dávila in this aphorism is contrasting the Aristotelian/Scholastic categories of potency and act.

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