Looking for the source of a famous George Orwell(?) quote

[Case]

George Orwell is widely credited as being the author of the famous line that "We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm". Does anyone know where he wrote it? - given Orwell's beliefs, I suspect that the quote is routinely used in ways which take it out of context.

I've tried Google, but none of the first few pages on the quote has an actual reference. I am bemused to note that it seems to be a favourite line of conservative American nationalists though* - I wonder if they realise that Orwell was a deeply committed socialist with a great dislike of nationalism?


* A typical example is this (almost totally incoherent) article by Oliver North: https://www.townhall.com/columnists/...20010420.shtml

[molly bloom]

I think this is attributed to Orwell, but I can't remember it as being his.


It sounds like it should come from some of his newspaper or radio journalism, discussing pacifism, but it just doesn't ring any bells.

[DAVOUT]

http://www.quotationspage.com/search.php3?homesearch=ORWELL&page=1

The quote is mentionned in the following form :

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
George Orwell, (attributed)

Either it was not written or the text was not identified before being lost.

It can be observed that the wording is different enough for being adopted by socialists.

[Dracon II]

Certainly Orwell has been used by both left and right often in ways that he would probably detest. But I don't think the left has a monopoly on drawing inspiration from him. He was above all anti-imperialist and anti-totalitarian. He was anti-Stalin at a time when many of his contemporaries were praising him. I think that he will be remembered as a defender of human freedom and dignity.... which means he can be rightfully used for inspiration by both left and right.... as I don't think us lefties have a monopoly on democratic and anti-totalitarian ideals.

Furthermore, given his two most famous novels, you could understand why the right must like him. 1984 and Animal Farm are two of the most scathing polemics against socialism in practice to ever be written.... although they (rightfully) make it quite clear to the reader that they don't depict actual socialism but a blatant perversion thereof.

[Locutus]

It appears to not be an authentic Orwell quote. To quote Wikipedia: "allegedly said by George Orwell although there is no evidence that Orwell ever wrote or uttered either of these versions of this idea. They do bear some similarity to comments made in an essay that Orwell wrote on Rudyard Kipling, when quoting from one of his poems. "Yes, making mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep" - Rudyard Kipling"

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/List_of_misquotations

http://www.crystalclouds.co.uk/search.php?option=ThisSource&searchbioid=652

http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/001904.html

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

It's an understandable link. Orwell was certainly no pacifist.

[Japher]

Naw, Jack Nicholson said it in A Few Good Men.

[Verto]

Originally posted by Japher
Naw, Jack Nicholson said it in A Few Good Men.

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!

[Japher]

You want me on that wall! You need me on that wall!

[Case]

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Frankychan]

"The rights of the individual should never supersede the rights of the State."