"It is, however, not only undignified to idealize political victims; it is also very dangerous. One of our political actualities is that the victims of political torture and injustice are often no better than their tormentors. They are only waiting to change places with the latter. Of course, if one puts cruelty first this makes no difference. It does not matter whether the victim of torture is a decent man or a villain. No one deserves to be subjected to the appalling instruments of cruelty."
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Philosophers from the United StatesJews from the United StatesPolitical scientists from the United StatesJewish atheistsJewish feminists
Original Language: English
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Ordinary Vices (Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1984)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Judith_N._Shklar
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Judith N. Shklar
Judith Nisse Shklar (September 24, 1928 – September 17, 1992) was a philosopher and political theorist who studied the history of political thought, notably that of the Enlightenment period. She was appointed the John Cowles Professor of Government at Harvard University in 1980.
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