"War is when the government tells you who the enemy…

“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself” (or “War is when the/your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself”) is a political quotation that has been printed on many images. Authorship of the saying is unknown. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) is frequently credited, but he never said it.

“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself” was posted on the newsgroup ont.politics on March 4, 2006. “‘War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.”’- Unknown” was posted on Twitter by ANNA RAND on November 12, 2009. “‎‘War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself’, Benjamin Franklin” was posted on Twitter by Lala Toutonian (and others) on August 28, 2011.

“A war is when your government tells you who the enemy is. A revolution is when you decide your government IS the enemy. #Jan25 Yalla #Egypt!” was posted on Twitter by Pedro fp on January 27, 2011. “War is when the government tells you who the enemy is;Revolution is when you decide” was posted on Twitter by Samaher on February 8, 2011.

“War happens when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution happens when you figure it out by yourself” was posted on Twitter by Jorge Fdez.on August 12, 2011. “War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. REVOLUTION is when you figure it out for yourself” was posted on Twitter by Nationalist 4 Trump on April 20, 2013. “War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself” was posted on Twitter by Raiin on May 9, 2013. “War is when the government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself” was posted on Twitter by Lou Ambrosio on May 11, 2013. “‘War is when the government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself. ’ - unknown source” was posted on Twitter by “went_galt #silversqueeze” on July 24, 2013.

Wikiquote: Talk:Misquotations
‎War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.
This quote is very common on unreliable websites and is apparently almost always attributed to Benjamin Franklin, but i wasn’t able to find it on any reliable website. It seems to at least be misquoted if not misattributed because as someone wrote in a thread responding to a comment by a reader called Howard on this NYT column, I cannot find any reputable source for a quote attributed to Franklin containing the words “the bad guy”. The word “guy” wasn’t used in that context in the 1700s. It’s been out in postcards and used in internet memes, but is just another example of made-up or inaccurate quotes attributed to historical figures.—Espoo (talk) 16:28, 31 May 2020 (UTC)

Google Groups: ont.politics
Re: Examining our military spending in Canada .....
sdgreen
unread,
Mar 4, 2006, 9:29:38 PM
“Karen Gordon”

wrote in message news:dud95m$2dm$1…@theodyn.ncf.ca…
(...)
>> “”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“
>> War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is.
>> Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.

Google Groups: alt.politics.british
Re: Iraq - the pressure is on for U.S. to get out ....
Tom P.
Oct 7, 2006, 11:57:02 PM
Karen Gordon wrote:
(...)
> “”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“
> War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is.
> Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.

Twitter
cranium
@cranium
“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.” -Emma Goldman
5:22 PM · Sep 17, 2008

Twitter
MikaNici
@MikaNici
RT @engteacher: “War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.” - Ivana Gabara
11:23 PM · Feb 23, 2009

Twitter
Diani Franq they/them
@simpleaslight
RT @DollhouseHumor: War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself. #iranelection
2:15 AM · Jun 18, 2009

Twitter
sp4rrowh4wk
@sp4rrowh4wk
War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself #IranElection #GR88 RT
6:38 AM · Jun 19, 2009

Twitter
Lioness
@Stand4Liberty
“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.” wolfdyke
10:06 PM · Jul 7, 2009

Twitter
ANNA RAND
@OBAMA_CZAR
“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.” - Unknown
9:50 AM · Nov 12, 2009

Twitter
consciousskillz
@consciousskillz
“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.”Anonymous
11:38 AM · Jan 8, 2010

Twitter
Robert Zurel
@RobertZurel
“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is - revolution is when you decide that for yourself” Will Rogers (1879-1935)
10:24 AM · Dec 29, 2010

Twitter
Pedro fp 🇦🇺❤️🇰🇿 🇺🇦
@bandidoofoz
A war is when your government tells you who the enemy is. A revolution is when you decide your government IS the enemy. #Jan25 Yalla #Egypt!
12:34 AM · Jan 27, 2011

Twitter
Pedro fp 🇦🇺❤️🇰🇿 🇺🇦
@bandidoofoz
War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you realise your government is the enemy. #Jan25 Yalla #Egypt!
4:21 AM · Jan 28, 2011

Twitter
Samaher
@ShesSamaher
War is when the government tells you who the enemy is;Revolution is when you decide.
3:30 PM · Feb 8, 2011

Twitter
Jorge Fdez.
@vientoblanko
“War happens when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution happens when you figure it out by yourself.”
5:00 AM · Aug 12, 2011

Twitter
Lala Toutonian
@LalaKarenina
‎“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is.
Revolution is when you decide that for yourself”, Benjamin Franklin.
12:32 PM · Aug 28, 2011

Twitter
Jason Alves
@jasonjalves
“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.” - Benjamin Franklin
1:05 PM · Aug 28, 2011

Twitter
Tony A
@TonyTheAgentC21
War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself. -Benjamin Franklin
1:48 PM · Aug 28, 2011

Twitter
Hamza
@miccheck1917
War is when the government tells you who the enemy is, revolution is when you decide that for yourself.
4:43 PM · Sep 28, 2011

Google Groups: diaspora-dev
Fwd: Troubleshooting
Yosem Companys
Oct 17, 2011, 12:21:46 AM
(...)_____________________________
War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is.
Revolution is when you decide that for yourself. -Benjamin Franklin

Star Wars—The Old Republic
Rantank
02.15.2012 , 12:23 AM | #32
(...)
War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when the people finally realize who the real enemy is. ― Anonymous

Twitter
Nationalist 4 Trump
@jfktruther
War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. REVOLUTION is when you figure it out for yourself.
3:53 PM - 20 Apr 2013

Twitter
Raiin
@raiin4am
War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself.
5:50 PM · May 9, 2013

Twitter
Lou Ambrosio
@LouAmbrosio
War is when the government tells you who the enemy is.
Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself.
@zerohedge
8:51 PM · May 11, 2013

Twitter
went_galt #silversqueeze
@went_galt
“War is when the government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself. ” - unknown source
3:55 PM · Jul 24, 2013

Twitter
Tamara L Ernst
@Jaxhana
WAR is when your Government tells you who the enemy is. REVOLUTION is when you figure it out for yourself.✌🎩
(The following text is shown on an image.—ed.)
War is when your government
tells you who the enemy is.
Revolution is when you figure it
out for yourself.
10:15 AM · Aug 13, 2013

Facebook
True Activist
December 25, 2013 ·
War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself.

Google Books
Louder Than Words
By Laura Jarratt
London, UK: Electric Monkey
2014
Pg. ?:
War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself. (Anonymous)

Reddit—Quotes
“War is when your Government tells you who the enemy is, Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself.” (self.quotes)
submitted November 22, 2014 by lifehacker25

Twitter
Andrew Moerman
@pepmilk
War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is.
Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.
Benjamin Franklin
7:31 PM · Sep 14, 2016

Twitter
😊
@actionyourword
Benjamin Franklin: “War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is.
Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.”
9:43 PM · Dec 27, 2016

Twitter
DonJulio 🇵🇷 🌊 🎙
@DonJulioNY
War is when the government tells you who the enemy is, revolution is when you figure it out for yourself. - unknown author
4:01 PM - 21 Nov 2018 from Bronx, NY

Twitter
Sal the Agorist
@SallyMayweather
(The following text is shown on an image.—ed.)
War is when the government
tells you who the bad guy is.
Revolution is when you
decide that for yourself.
—Benjamin Franklin)
8:19 AM · Jun 16, 2023

“War is when the government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out”