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Force Quotes

On power, will and what pushes us forward.

One older quote describes being led hundreds of leagues off course, conceding that only force of arms could compel such a detour. A very different pair of quotes describe the mental force of writing a novel, at times needing to be pushed from mind and at other times felt as an overwhelming pull.

Force is the vital principle and immediate parent of despotism.

Thomas Jefferson

Not believing in force is the same as not believing in gravitation.

Quotes by Thomas Hobbes

Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.

Quotes by Thomas Hobbes

No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, can ever compel the soul of a person to believe or to disbelieve.

Quotes by Thomas Carlyle

Scandinavia was awash with Maoism in the '70s. Sweden had Maoist groups with a combined membership and periphery of several thousand members, but it was Norway where Maoism became a genuine popular force and hegemonic in the culture.

Quotes by Tariq Ali

Our party is the upcoming alternative force in Tamil Nadu and both the ruling AIADMK and DMK are corrupt and both parties used money power to woo voters during Srirangam bypolls.

Quotes by Tamilisai Soundararajan

As an assistant operations officer for a helicopter task force in Iraq, I saw my fellow Guardsmen and soldiers risk life and limb to maintain diesel fuel supply lines.

Quotes by Tammy Duckworth

My father was in the Air Force, so I travelled all over India. I was born in Delhi.

Quotes by Tahir Raj Bhasin

There is a bright spot or two for the Spaniards. French toast has become freedom toast on the Air Force One breakfast menu, but the Spanish omelet is still a Spanish omelet.

Quotes by Suzanne Fields

Balk the enemy's power; force him to reveal himself.

Sun Tzu

You can force students to learn, to a certain extent, but students aren't happy and employers aren't happy.

Quotes by Sugata Mitra

Amazon is definitely serious about delivering its goods by an autonomous air force.

Quotes by Steven Levy

Trump is a product of a seething populism and nationalism that is the driving political force.

Quotes by Steve Bannon

Getting rid of the deductibility of state and local taxes will force the highest corporate tax states to lower their rates, or fewer corporations over time will headquarter there.

Quotes by Stephen Moore

To bathe a cat takes brute force, perseverance, courage of conviction - and a cat. The last ingredient is usually hardest to come by.

Quotes by Stephen Baker

One must be a somebody before they can have a enemy. One must be a force before he can be resisted by another force.

Quotes by Sophie Swetchine

I was in the Air Force and was a boom operator (in-flight refueling). I got my comedy start in the Air Force.

Quotes by Sinbad

I have always been opposed to illegal changes of our Government or the overthrow of its institutions, whether by force or other illegal means. I have always believed in the democratic processes.

Quotes by Sidney Buchman

I never wanted to become an actress. I come from an air force background.

Quotes by Shweta Menon

For actors, social media is a driving force.

Quotes by Shruti Haasan

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the most historical-sounding quote about force in this collection?
One quote reads like a formal historical statement: "I cannot consent to be led three or four hundred leagues out of my route, without its being by force of arms" - refusing to be redirected except by actual armed compulsion.
Is there a quote about balancing writing with family life?
Yes - one writer describes a very specific discipline: "There are hours when I must force the novel out of my mind and be interested in the children," acknowledging the pull between creative work and parenting.
Is there a quote about a novel's lasting emotional pull?
Yes, one quote is candid about the opposite experience too: "Every once in a while I feel the tremendous force of the novel. But it does not stay with me" - describing a feeling that comes and goes rather than staying constant.
Does this collection include anything about nationalism?
Yes, restrained: one quote makes a broad claim about political power, stating "The course of nationalism, once it's attached to a cause opposite yours, is still the strongest force in the world." It's presented here as that speaker's own general observation about nationalism, not a statement about any specific country or conflict.
Where can I find more quotes about power and strength?
See the Power quotes collection for a closely related theme.

A closing observation calls nationalism an unmatched power once it attaches itself to a cause opposed to one's own. See our forceful quotes and forces quotes pages for related reading.