In no relation to Douglas Adams
As history shows us, revolutions never work without a bit of bloodshed. Great revolts, like the French Revolution, the failed revolt of 1848, and the end of the Soviet union all had to be bought with a bit of blood (or, speaking of the french revolution, with a lot, great heap of blood). Even the fall of the Berlin Wall and Glasnost had their victims, even if only those who killed themselves after facing the truth. Mostly it was either the last strike of the fading powers-that-are, or the outreaching paw of the bloodraging mob on the street who killed the most. But which people died? Who actually where the first against the wall when the revolution came?
The Initiators
Most obvious, its always the visionaries of any movement that get smacked when their revolution fails or is to slow to protect them. That reminds me a bit of Mikhail Gorbachev, who, after dissolving the Soviet Union, got instantly punished for it in the first free elections held in Russia. Or, more radically, of Maximilien Robespierre who had killed off everyone who would stand in his way and met the Guillotine faster then a Hedgehog on a highway after the situation turned against him.
Nelson Mandela was in prison for almost 30 years for being against the Apartheit-policy of the South African Government. Vaclav Havel and Lech Walesa had to go a long way to get their countries democratic reforms.
The Protagonists
The barricade-standers and the war-cryers, the flag-holders and the sheep in the front row are those who will be extinguished if the revolution fails, ask Fuerst Metternich about it.
The same applies to the commentaries and journalists who get involved, thinking they are invulerable to backstabbings and assassination commandos, just because they get themselfes heard. The number of critical voices being shut up in a country's inner conflict equals the number of stars in the sky (roughly).
It has always been for the ideologically biased to be killed for an idea they didn't create, but nevertheless support with their lives. I pity the poor students who got themselves murdered by the Chinese Government on Tiananmen Square in 1989, though they must have known that the System always wins.
The Subjects of Hate
The powers-that-are, or rather those who represent them. Any renewing force will sweep away the Marionettes and symbol figures of the old King/Government/Evil Overlordship, thus leaving the people that benefitted where they were. You may behead the king, but the bureaucrat stays. Same thing also happend in Germany 1945, when the big Nazis where sentenced, but the mass of Millions of Party Members and low level officials stayed in charge, after changing into safe harbors such as the socialist or the communist party.
And in almost no relation to this, I may quote Mark Twain:
The very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice.
You may contact me, if you have any better quote. :-)
Please don't fill this node with useless hatelists and any sort of Douglas Adams quotation. Thanks. | 
