Even a purely moral act that has no hope of any immediate and visible political effect can gradually and indirectly, over time, gain in political significance.

Anonymous
About This Quote

Antony Jay wrote in the British journal, "The Spectator," in 1992, “Even a purely moral act that has no hope of any immediate and visible political effect can gradually and indirectly, over time, gain in political significance.” Jay was describing the process by which the violence of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) would become more acceptable to Irish public opinion. After years of violent activity, the IRA came to be seen as an honorable force for good. This change in perception did not happen overnight. It took years of steady propaganda from the IRA.

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