December 23, 2025

Few revolutionists would be such if they were heirs to a baronetcy.

George Santayana (1863–1952), American writer and philosopher, The Cynic’s Lexicon, Jonathon Green, ed. (London: 1986), p.185

What seeds the revolutionary spirit? Is it deprivation personally experienced, or only just observed in others? A will to power for its own sake? And how do you account for the Tony Benn’s of this world, few though they may be, who gave up a title (Viscount Stanhope) in order to qualify for election to the British House of Commons—as a Labour MP!

We get it, George, but help us understand what propels revolutionaries? Baronetcies are next to worthless these days, but revolutionaries—at least of the wannabe variety—abide.*the lowest British hereditary honour, baronets are nobles but not peers of the realm, ranking above a knight but below a baron.