It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.
Sam Adams, clearly winning the “founding father most ahead of his time” award…
Edited in case you don’t click through:
The quotation is not only inaccurate, but it misrepresents Adams’s political situation. He usually led the majority in Boston’s town meeting and in the Massachusetts legislature. He rarely needed to win the majority over to his principles; rather, his challenge was convincing people to follow his plans for action. Therefore, he called over and over for unity, resolve, and mutual sacrifice from the majority, not “an irate, tireless minority" keen to set fires.