Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only

Denis Diderot, philosopher of the Enlightenment and challenger of tyrants, spoke with unflinching clarity when he declared: “Power acquired by violence is only a usurpation, and lasts only as long as the force of him who commands prevails over that of those who obey.” In these words he unmasks the frailty of power seized not by justice, but by blood. For violence may build a throne, but it builds it upon sand. Such usurpation endures only while fear outweighs courage, only until the oppressed discover their own strength.

True authority rests upon consent, upon trust, upon justice freely recognized. But power acquired by violence has no roots in the heart of the people; it stands only by the sword. And the sword, though sharp, grows dull with time, while the will of the many grows sharper. Thus, as Diderot teaches, tyranny carries within itself the seed of its own destruction. Its reign is not eternal but borrowed, fragile, and fleeting.

History thunders with confirmation. Consider the fate of Napoleon Bonaparte. By force of arms he crowned himself emperor, seizing Europe in a storm of battles. Yet his rule endured only as long as his armies triumphed. Once his strength faltered at Moscow and Waterloo, his empire crumbled like dust. His power, built by violence, was usurpation, and it vanished when his might no longer prevailed.

So too with countless tyrannies: the Third Reich, which rose through terror, collapsed in fire when its armies failed; the dictators of Latin America, who held sway through brutality, fell the moment their people or rivals seized courage. In every case, Diderot’s truth shines clear—power won by violence is never true sovereignty, but a fragile reign of fear, shattered when the balance of force shifts.

O children of tomorrow, take this lesson as a warning and as a hope. Beware of rulers who seize thrones through violence, for their power is stolen, not earned, and its days are numbered. And take heart, for no matter how fierce the tyrant, his reign endures only while fear holds sway. When justice awakens in the hearts of the people, and their strength unites, the usurper falls. Remember Diderot’s wisdom: only power rooted in justice and consent can last; all else is but the brittle shadow of might.