The existing legal constitution is nothing but the product of a revolution. Revolution is the act of political creation in the history of classes, while constitutional legislation is the expression of the continual political vegetation of a society.
Interpretation
The constitution arises from revolutionary change, reflecting society's political evolution.
Rosa Luxemburg emphasizes that the constitution is a result of revolutionary transformations within a society, representing not just the laws of governance but the ongoing political growth and development of that society. She highlights the dynamic relationship between revolutionary action and constitutional legislation, suggesting that the constitution is influenced by the historical struggles and classes that shape its existence.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of social movements, one could reference this quote to illustrate the link between revolution and legal frameworks.
Our scribblings are usually not lyrics but whirrings, without colour or resonance, like the tone of an engine-wheel. I believe that the cause lies in the fact that when people write, they forget for the most part to dig deeply into themselves and to feel the whole import and truth of what they are writing.
The working classes in every country only learn to fight in the course of their struggles...Social democracy...is only the advance guard of the proletariat, a small piece of the total working masses; blood from their blood, and flesh from their flesh. Social democracy seeks and finds the ways, and particular slogans, of the workers' struggle only in the course of the development of this struggle, and gains directions for the way forward through this struggle alone.
Freedom for supporters of the government only, for members of one party only no matter how big its membership may be is no freedom at all. Freedom is always freedom for the man who thinks differently.
Social democracy seeks and finds the ways, and particular slogans, of the workers' struggle only in the course of the development of this struggle, and gains directions for the way forward through this struggle alone.
Freedom is always and exclusively freedom for the one who thinks differently.
Work for legal reform takes place only within the framework of the social form created by the last revolution.
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly - that is the first law of nature.
We strain to hear. But instead of hearing an answer we catch sight of God himself scraped and torn. Through our tears we see the tears of God
A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
I have to live for others and not for myself: that's middle-class morality.
At times the mirror increases a thing’s value, at times denies it.
Maybe if people started to listen, history would stop repeating itself.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.