ALTHOUGH THE WORD 'VIOLENCE' BECAME VERY TRENDY IN THE 1960S, REFLECTING THE SOCIAL TURMOIL OF THE TIMES, VIOLENCE IS NOTHING NEW TO HUMAN SOCIETY, AND HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF IT. FROM THE 1789 FRENCH REVOLUTION THROUGH THE 1905 AND 1917 RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONS, VIOLENT UPHEAVALS HAVE PLAYED A CENTRAL ROLE IN BRINGING ABOUT SOCIAL CHANGE. THE AUTHOR EXAMINES HOW THE THEORIES OF SOME NOTABLE PHILOSOPHERS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE QUESTION OF VIOLENCE IN SOCIAL CHANGE. REFERENCES ARE LISTED...BS