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Revolution and Counter-Revolution
If anything characterizes our times, it is a sense of pervading chaos. In every field of human endeavor, the windstorms of change are fast altering the ways we live. Contemporary man is no longer anchored in certainties and thus has lost sight of who he is, where he comes from and where he is going. If there is a single book that can shed light amid the postmodern darkness, this is it.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1959
47 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
28 books29 followersPLINIO CORRÊA DE OLIVEIRA was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1908 (d.1995). He obtained a doctorate in Law and was a History Profes sor at two prestigious universities in São Paulo.
A Catholic man of action, he wrote extensively and had his works published all over the world. In 1960 he founded the Brazilian Society for the Defence of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) of which he was president until his death in 1995.
Inspired by his book Revolution and Counter-Rev olution and other works, numerous autonomous TFPs and sister associations have sprung up in 28 countries on 5 continents.
A Catholic man of action, he wrote extensively and had his works published all over the world. In 1960 he founded the Brazilian Society for the Defence of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) of which he was president until his death in 1995.
Inspired by his book Revolution and Counter-Rev olution and other works, numerous autonomous TFPs and sister associations have sprung up in 28 countries on 5 continents.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 23, 2012
Genius. Required reading for all serious Catholics who want to understand the times and what they are up against (and how to pull it off).
August 8, 2015
A book that will change your view of history and will make you understand the modern world, as the result of centuries of decline.
For me is much more than a book, it is a treaty that should inspire all Catholics to be truly counterrevolutionary.
It is a book written by a prophet and a saint, that should be known to all Catholics: Plinio Correa de Oliveira.
For me is much more than a book, it is a treaty that should inspire all Catholics to be truly counterrevolutionary.
It is a book written by a prophet and a saint, that should be known to all Catholics: Plinio Correa de Oliveira.
June 12, 2013
If ever there was a need for a Primer on the Notion of a New World Order this would be it. However, this is not some Conspiracy Theory, but rather a Fact of History. For a long time I have always believed that men had the internal conflict of either thinking for their passions or fighting against their passions.
The author of this book discusses how The Revolution (i.e. The New World Order Conspiracy) seeks to have man fall to their passions so that way their Rational Mind may be hijacked by their Passions so that way they may make an artificial world of ideas that do not reflect reality but rather there own prideful delusions and then allow this realm of ideas to invade the realm of the physical: Internal Tendencies Unleashed --> Corruption of Ideas --> Decay of Society
The author makes a compelling point that there are indeed secretive largely occult organizations out there that purposely try to trigger an upsurge in individual passions/tendencies and the inevitable corruption of ideals which then would lead to a collective decay of society. The author argues this by saying that the individual tendencies/passions alone couldn't have done this in a once Christian Society but that only through secretive and occult organized forces could the festering of these distorted passions be carried from one generation to another.
The author argues also that The Revolution is a force that turns on itself and because it turns on itself it lacks coherence, resembling the incoherence of the distorted passions from which The Revolution comes from:
1) The author shows the First Revolution was in the Theological Ground during the Protestant (Pseudo)Reformation: The Primacy of the Individual to Interpret Scripture without the Magisterium.
2) The Second Revolution came then as a revolt-reform against the First Revolution through the Age of Enlightenment: The Primacy of the Individual in all aspects of Life.
3) Then finally the Third Revolution is the revolt-reform of the Second Revolution through Communism which anyone who is intellectually honest knows had its intellectual foundation in Enlightenment Age thinkers: The Revolution in a Full Realization of Political Life.
4) Because this book was revised and the Iron Curtain finally did fall in the Late 80s, the author predicted that a Fourth Revolution would subtly infect and destroy the West now that many of those living under Communist Rule and the Communist Ruling Elite were now being welcomed without suspicion into many Western Nations, especially the more Powerful ones: The Revolution in Subtle and Day-to-Day Living, wherein we do not realize an Unseen War is unfolding.
Looking at the Radical Egalitarianism and notions of Absolute Individual Autonomy of the Contemporary Western Society from which this reviewer is writing it certainly feels safe to say we are in the throes of the Fourth Revolution which both Revolted against and Reformed the Previous Revolutions. The author however was not concerned only with The Revolution but also the Counter-Revolution, and this is just as important to know.
Although to a certain extent (perhaps I am misreading) I feel that it is not enough to merely be "AGAINST the Revolution" and speak in a Negative Tone, I feel the Counter-Revolution needs to speak in a more Positive "FOR" tone.
The author of this book discusses how The Revolution (i.e. The New World Order Conspiracy) seeks to have man fall to their passions so that way their Rational Mind may be hijacked by their Passions so that way they may make an artificial world of ideas that do not reflect reality but rather there own prideful delusions and then allow this realm of ideas to invade the realm of the physical: Internal Tendencies Unleashed --> Corruption of Ideas --> Decay of Society
The author makes a compelling point that there are indeed secretive largely occult organizations out there that purposely try to trigger an upsurge in individual passions/tendencies and the inevitable corruption of ideals which then would lead to a collective decay of society. The author argues this by saying that the individual tendencies/passions alone couldn't have done this in a once Christian Society but that only through secretive and occult organized forces could the festering of these distorted passions be carried from one generation to another.
The author argues also that The Revolution is a force that turns on itself and because it turns on itself it lacks coherence, resembling the incoherence of the distorted passions from which The Revolution comes from:
1) The author shows the First Revolution was in the Theological Ground during the Protestant (Pseudo)Reformation: The Primacy of the Individual to Interpret Scripture without the Magisterium.
2) The Second Revolution came then as a revolt-reform against the First Revolution through the Age of Enlightenment: The Primacy of the Individual in all aspects of Life.
3) Then finally the Third Revolution is the revolt-reform of the Second Revolution through Communism which anyone who is intellectually honest knows had its intellectual foundation in Enlightenment Age thinkers: The Revolution in a Full Realization of Political Life.
4) Because this book was revised and the Iron Curtain finally did fall in the Late 80s, the author predicted that a Fourth Revolution would subtly infect and destroy the West now that many of those living under Communist Rule and the Communist Ruling Elite were now being welcomed without suspicion into many Western Nations, especially the more Powerful ones: The Revolution in Subtle and Day-to-Day Living, wherein we do not realize an Unseen War is unfolding.
Looking at the Radical Egalitarianism and notions of Absolute Individual Autonomy of the Contemporary Western Society from which this reviewer is writing it certainly feels safe to say we are in the throes of the Fourth Revolution which both Revolted against and Reformed the Previous Revolutions. The author however was not concerned only with The Revolution but also the Counter-Revolution, and this is just as important to know.
Although to a certain extent (perhaps I am misreading) I feel that it is not enough to merely be "AGAINST the Revolution" and speak in a Negative Tone, I feel the Counter-Revolution needs to speak in a more Positive "FOR" tone.
June 8, 2017
What is there to be said about Revolution and Counter-Revolution? This masterwork by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira is perhaps the greatest reactionary document of the 20th century. Read it, study it, and consider its profound implications on the state of human affairs.
May 13, 2023
Después de revisar otros dos libros sobre Contrarrevolución, debo decir que este libro dejó en mí algunas insatisfacciones.
Considero que si bien su diagnóstico es correcto, al arguir que la fuente de la Revolución son las pasiones desordenadas, desbocadas por el orgullo, empero, en cuestión de la praxis choca con la realidad. Por ejemplo, en la parte de la lucha en conjunto con gente de otros credos, Plinio prácticamente cierra esta opción al decir que lo mejor es convertirlos. A mi consideración, esto acaba con la posibilidad de cualquier restauración, en especial en estos tiempos aciagos donde la fe y la supuesta defensora de la Contra-revolución (así viene el término en la obra de Plinio), la Iglesia romana están en declive. Después de leer a Molnar y a D'Ors, me preguntaba cuál sería la visión del brasileño sobre la retirada de la Iglesia de la lucha contrarrevolucionaria; este apartado se encuentra hasta el final, y Plinio no pudo sino advertir que el Concilio Vaticano II fue una traición a la labor de la Iglesia y por tanto, de cierto modo, su movimiento se separa de la línea dictada por Roma. Este rompimiento no representa una cuestión baladí. Esto más bien muestra que el contra-revolucionario ya no puede fiarse de la autoridad de ninguna iglesia. Su resistencia se volverá interna y sectaria. La postura de los sedevacantes resulta por tanto más congruente que los esfuerzos entristas de un Plinio o de un Lefebvre por hacer que la jerarquía vaticana corriga el ritmo.
La literatura contrarrevolucionaria se arriesga producto de su negación de la vida a permanecer arrumbada en librerías de viejo. Es extraño que los católicos tradicionalistas, que idolatran a Aristóteles y a Tomás de Aquino, tiendan a la hora de impulsar su movimiento a adoptar posturas maniqueas y antipolíticas. No quieren ceder en ningún punto de su programa y con ello se condenan a la irrelevancia. En estos momentos terribles de abatimiento, el libro de Plinio resulta un chiste.
Considero que si bien su diagnóstico es correcto, al arguir que la fuente de la Revolución son las pasiones desordenadas, desbocadas por el orgullo, empero, en cuestión de la praxis choca con la realidad. Por ejemplo, en la parte de la lucha en conjunto con gente de otros credos, Plinio prácticamente cierra esta opción al decir que lo mejor es convertirlos. A mi consideración, esto acaba con la posibilidad de cualquier restauración, en especial en estos tiempos aciagos donde la fe y la supuesta defensora de la Contra-revolución (así viene el término en la obra de Plinio), la Iglesia romana están en declive. Después de leer a Molnar y a D'Ors, me preguntaba cuál sería la visión del brasileño sobre la retirada de la Iglesia de la lucha contrarrevolucionaria; este apartado se encuentra hasta el final, y Plinio no pudo sino advertir que el Concilio Vaticano II fue una traición a la labor de la Iglesia y por tanto, de cierto modo, su movimiento se separa de la línea dictada por Roma. Este rompimiento no representa una cuestión baladí. Esto más bien muestra que el contra-revolucionario ya no puede fiarse de la autoridad de ninguna iglesia. Su resistencia se volverá interna y sectaria. La postura de los sedevacantes resulta por tanto más congruente que los esfuerzos entristas de un Plinio o de un Lefebvre por hacer que la jerarquía vaticana corriga el ritmo.
La literatura contrarrevolucionaria se arriesga producto de su negación de la vida a permanecer arrumbada en librerías de viejo. Es extraño que los católicos tradicionalistas, que idolatran a Aristóteles y a Tomás de Aquino, tiendan a la hora de impulsar su movimiento a adoptar posturas maniqueas y antipolíticas. No quieren ceder en ningún punto de su programa y con ello se condenan a la irrelevancia. En estos momentos terribles de abatimiento, el libro de Plinio resulta un chiste.
July 14, 2015
This is the first work by de Oliviera that I ever read, and it was a brilliant experience.
The book's foreword nearly put me off, as it read as a sort of hagiography of a philosopher I had never before read or even heard of, however perseverance was rewarded.
The book is a controversially traditionalist, but very thorough analysis of a cultural process often discussed in the media but usually from a leftist angle. To see the same cultural processes discussed in strong, serious terms from a rightist or traditionalist angle was a real tonic.
The book's foreword nearly put me off, as it read as a sort of hagiography of a philosopher I had never before read or even heard of, however perseverance was rewarded.
The book is a controversially traditionalist, but very thorough analysis of a cultural process often discussed in the media but usually from a leftist angle. To see the same cultural processes discussed in strong, serious terms from a rightist or traditionalist angle was a real tonic.
May 20, 2020
It is kind of mind-blowing that Plinio described today's state of affairs in 1959. I really like that the instructions on how to fight the revolution are very simple and practical. Makes me feel even more motivated to swim against the stream and fight the good fight.
July 3, 2016
Prophetic.
November 12, 2021
Prophetic book.
August 26, 2023
A masterful assessment of the revolutions against God and order and an inspiration to create small, local, focused organizations to develop minds, create projects, and fight back against these revolutions.
(quoting Pius XII) "It has sought nature without grace, reason without faith, freedom without authority, and, at times, authority without freedom. It is an 'enemy' that has become more and more apparent with an absence of scruples that still surprises: Christ yes; the Church no! Afterwards: God yes; Christ no! Finally the impious shout: God is dead and, even, God never existed! And behold now the attempt to build the structure of the world on foundations which we do not hesitate to indicate as the main causes of the threat that hangs over humanity: economy without God, law without God, politics without God." (p. 13)
(quoting Paul Bourget) "One must live as one thinks, under pain of sooner or later ending up thinking as one has lived." (p. 27)
"...[S]ocialism shuns communism, which it silently admires and tends forward." (p. 32)
"Although the Revolution has often overthrown legitimate authorities and replaced them with rulers lacking any title of legitimacy, it would be a mistake to think this is all there is to the Revolution. Its chief objective is not the destruction of certain rights of persons or families. It desires far more than that. It wants to destroy a whole legitimate order of things and replace it with an illegitimate situation." (p. 41)
"...Catholic culture and civilization are the culture and civilization par excellence. It must be noted that they cannot exist save in Catholic peoples. Indeed, even though man may know the principles of Natural Law by his own reason, a people without the Magisterium of the Church cannot durably preserve the knowledge of all of them." (p. 45)
"[T]he Revolution, which is fundamentally egalitarian, dreams of merging all races, all peoples, and all states into a single race, people, and state." (p. 50)
"[T]he inequalities that arise from accidents such as virtue, talent, beauty, strength, family, tradition, and so forth, are just and according to the order of the universe." (p. 51)
"[O]ne perceives that liberalism is not interested in freedom for what is good. It is solely interested in freedom for evil. When in power, it easily, and even joyfully, restricts the freedom of the good as much as possible. But in many ways, it protects, favors, and promotes freedom for evil. In this it shows itself to be opposed to Catholic civilization, which gives its full support and total freedom to what is good and restrains evil as much as possible." (p. 52)
"The utopia toward which the Revolution is leading us is a world whose countries, united in a universal republic, are but geographic designations, a world with neither social nor economic inequalities, run by science and technology, by propaganda and psychology, in order to attain, without the supernatural, the definitive happiness of man." (p. 67)
"The tendency of so many of our contemporaries, children of the Revolution, is to unrestrictedly love the present, adore the future, and unconditionally consign the past to scorn and hatred." (p. 77)
"Nor is the material progress of a people the main element of progress in Christian understanding." (p. 80)
"The grandeur the Counter-Revolution desires for all countries is and can be only one: Christian grandeur, which entails the preservation of the values peculiar to each and a fraternal relationship among them all." (p. 113)
(quoting Pius XII) "It has sought nature without grace, reason without faith, freedom without authority, and, at times, authority without freedom. It is an 'enemy' that has become more and more apparent with an absence of scruples that still surprises: Christ yes; the Church no! Afterwards: God yes; Christ no! Finally the impious shout: God is dead and, even, God never existed! And behold now the attempt to build the structure of the world on foundations which we do not hesitate to indicate as the main causes of the threat that hangs over humanity: economy without God, law without God, politics without God." (p. 13)
(quoting Paul Bourget) "One must live as one thinks, under pain of sooner or later ending up thinking as one has lived." (p. 27)
"...[S]ocialism shuns communism, which it silently admires and tends forward." (p. 32)
"Although the Revolution has often overthrown legitimate authorities and replaced them with rulers lacking any title of legitimacy, it would be a mistake to think this is all there is to the Revolution. Its chief objective is not the destruction of certain rights of persons or families. It desires far more than that. It wants to destroy a whole legitimate order of things and replace it with an illegitimate situation." (p. 41)
"...Catholic culture and civilization are the culture and civilization par excellence. It must be noted that they cannot exist save in Catholic peoples. Indeed, even though man may know the principles of Natural Law by his own reason, a people without the Magisterium of the Church cannot durably preserve the knowledge of all of them." (p. 45)
"[T]he Revolution, which is fundamentally egalitarian, dreams of merging all races, all peoples, and all states into a single race, people, and state." (p. 50)
"[T]he inequalities that arise from accidents such as virtue, talent, beauty, strength, family, tradition, and so forth, are just and according to the order of the universe." (p. 51)
"[O]ne perceives that liberalism is not interested in freedom for what is good. It is solely interested in freedom for evil. When in power, it easily, and even joyfully, restricts the freedom of the good as much as possible. But in many ways, it protects, favors, and promotes freedom for evil. In this it shows itself to be opposed to Catholic civilization, which gives its full support and total freedom to what is good and restrains evil as much as possible." (p. 52)
"The utopia toward which the Revolution is leading us is a world whose countries, united in a universal republic, are but geographic designations, a world with neither social nor economic inequalities, run by science and technology, by propaganda and psychology, in order to attain, without the supernatural, the definitive happiness of man." (p. 67)
"The tendency of so many of our contemporaries, children of the Revolution, is to unrestrictedly love the present, adore the future, and unconditionally consign the past to scorn and hatred." (p. 77)
"Nor is the material progress of a people the main element of progress in Christian understanding." (p. 80)
"The grandeur the Counter-Revolution desires for all countries is and can be only one: Christian grandeur, which entails the preservation of the values peculiar to each and a fraternal relationship among them all." (p. 113)
December 10, 2024
Revolución y Contra-Revolución de Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira es una obra que ofrece una profunda crítica a los movimientos revolucionarios que han transformado las sociedades modernas, defendiendo una visión tradicionalista y conservadora del orden social. Oliveira sostiene que la Revolución ha sido el motor de la decadencia moral, política y cultural, y que sus ideales de igualdad y libertad han desmantelado las estructuras jerárquicas y naturales de la sociedad, como la familia, la religión y el Estado.
El autor aboga por una "Contra-Revolución" que restaure los valores tradicionales, especialmente aquellos que han sido socavados por el liberalismo, el marxismo y el materialismo moderno. A lo largo del texto, Oliveira hace un llamado a la defensa de un orden social basado en la jerarquía, la autoridad y la trascendencia, donde el Estado, la Iglesia y las instituciones sociales desempeñan papeles fundamentales en la preservación del orden natural y la moral.
Desde la perspectiva del nacionalismo autoritario, esta obra puede ser vista como un manifiesto que rechaza el liberalismo democrático y la modernidad, defendiendo la idea de un orden social y político jerárquico y centralizado. La crítica de Oliveira a las ideologías que promueven el individualismo, el materialismo y el relativismo cultural resuena con aquellos que defienden la preservación de los valores nacionales y tradicionales, así como una fuerte oposición a las influencias extranjeras que buscan diluir la identidad y la soberanía de los pueblos. Es una obra clave para quienes buscan entender las raíces de la defensa del orden y la autoridad frente a las transformaciones sociales impulsadas por las ideologías revolucionarias.
El autor aboga por una "Contra-Revolución" que restaure los valores tradicionales, especialmente aquellos que han sido socavados por el liberalismo, el marxismo y el materialismo moderno. A lo largo del texto, Oliveira hace un llamado a la defensa de un orden social basado en la jerarquía, la autoridad y la trascendencia, donde el Estado, la Iglesia y las instituciones sociales desempeñan papeles fundamentales en la preservación del orden natural y la moral.
Desde la perspectiva del nacionalismo autoritario, esta obra puede ser vista como un manifiesto que rechaza el liberalismo democrático y la modernidad, defendiendo la idea de un orden social y político jerárquico y centralizado. La crítica de Oliveira a las ideologías que promueven el individualismo, el materialismo y el relativismo cultural resuena con aquellos que defienden la preservación de los valores nacionales y tradicionales, así como una fuerte oposición a las influencias extranjeras que buscan diluir la identidad y la soberanía de los pueblos. Es una obra clave para quienes buscan entender las raíces de la defensa del orden y la autoridad frente a las transformaciones sociales impulsadas por las ideologías revolucionarias.
November 3, 2024
A good book detailing the history of the revolution against God, how it operates, how it can be fought against and why it matters.
Th book is short and precise just like a manifesto should be. The writing style is quite theoretical so it isn’t the easiest to follow along with but there are real-world evidences of his theory scattered throughout the book which are very helpful.
I would recommend this book to anyone who dislikes communism, modernism, modernist thought, degenerate art or modern architecture, music, politics etc. The author believes these things are orchestrated by the devil but I encourage the reader to try to find patterns as to where the devil operates and who he works through, in creating the revolution against God. Because there are many patterns which other Catholics have also commented on.
Th book is short and precise just like a manifesto should be. The writing style is quite theoretical so it isn’t the easiest to follow along with but there are real-world evidences of his theory scattered throughout the book which are very helpful.
I would recommend this book to anyone who dislikes communism, modernism, modernist thought, degenerate art or modern architecture, music, politics etc. The author believes these things are orchestrated by the devil but I encourage the reader to try to find patterns as to where the devil operates and who he works through, in creating the revolution against God. Because there are many patterns which other Catholics have also commented on.
March 9, 2022
The crisis of the modern world is a crisis, fundamentally, of the modern heart. The crisis is the same in China as it is in Australia, despite aesthetic differences: a disordered love of oneself, a refusal to pick up our Cross, and the insane attempt to render under Caesar that which is Gods' alone.
The Church can be the only actor that truly fights the crisis, as it is the only entity that truly understands it. This book brilliantly details the cause of the crisis (both socialism and liberalism are at heart envious, love of superficial equality stems from a hatred of superiors), and what proper Catholic Action entails.
The Church can be the only actor that truly fights the crisis, as it is the only entity that truly understands it. This book brilliantly details the cause of the crisis (both socialism and liberalism are at heart envious, love of superficial equality stems from a hatred of superiors), and what proper Catholic Action entails.
May 5, 2019
The revolution continues....and it demands a counter-revolution. This book outlines what can and must be done to overcome the darkness that has entered the church....sometimes welcomed by the prelates, other times not. This is a call to spiritual arms that requires the reader to acknowledge what the church has lost over time by acquiescing and compromising with its enemies. A must read for those 'on the fence' and a should read for those firmly in the tradition mode.
July 19, 2025
Švieži perspektyva, kuri iškelia svarbius klausimus apie dabartinę Vakarų civilizacijos istorinę trajektoriją ir jos psichoideologinį keitimąsi. Autorius pažėria pagrįstos kritikos kai kuriems istoriniams reiškiniams, kurie neretai vertinami išimtinai teigiamai, kaip protestantizmo atsiradimui bei Prancūzijos revoliucijai, bei taip pat pasidalina vertingais patarimais kaip asmeniškai prisidėti prie tobulesnės visuomenės kūrimo.
September 12, 2020
Still a very practical guide for now facing THE NEW LEFT
Although written in the 70s to face communism, still Prophetic and Relevant. Still a very practical guide for facing today THE NEW LEFT that has infiltrated our Holy Catholic Church through secularism and modernism; misleading us with the new disguise of love, human rights, equality, and utopian new world order.
Although written in the 70s to face communism, still Prophetic and Relevant. Still a very practical guide for facing today THE NEW LEFT that has infiltrated our Holy Catholic Church through secularism and modernism; misleading us with the new disguise of love, human rights, equality, and utopian new world order.
May 28, 2023
Excellent intellectual analysis that rings as true when the book first came out and even more so now and with each day. Theologically sound, in-depth yet to the point and easy to comprehend. A response to the decay and corrupt decadence. A must for every person to read whether Catholic or Not.
August 8, 2020
Amazing gives us the blueprint!
All the confusion anger we see before us today you have ahha moment that's what is all about. No longer fear of the unknown!
All the confusion anger we see before us today you have ahha moment that's what is all about. No longer fear of the unknown!
July 14, 2021
Profound analysis of the enemies of civilization, motivated by envy, guided not by ideology and but simply by hatred of order.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews