Who said “When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the…”?

Verified

Eugene V. Debs. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceSpeech in Cleveland, Ohio.(Sept. 11, 1918) Eugene V. Debs Speaks, ed. Jean Y. Tussey (1970)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z
“When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong.”
— Eugene V. Debs
VerifiedSpeech in Cleveland, Ohio.(Sept. 11, 1918) Eugene V. Debs Speaks, ed. Jean Y. Tussey (1970) · evidenceDemocracy

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Speech in Cleveland, Ohio.(Sept. 11, 1918) Eugene V. Debs Speaks, ed. Jean Y. Tussey (1970).

APA

Debs, E. V. (n.d.). When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13152-when-great-changes-occur-in-history-when-great/

MLA

Debs, Eugene V. “When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13152-when-great-changes-occur-in-history-when-great/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Debs, Eugene V. “When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13152-when-great-changes-occur-in-history-when-great/.

Related quotes

More quotes by Eugene V. Debs

“While there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.”
Protest
All 2 Eugene V. Debs quotes →