Laws are like sausages. You sleep far better the less you know about how they are made.
Otto Von BismarckRead
All treaties between great states cease to be binding when they come in conflict with the struggle for existence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Treaties are insignificant when survival is at stake.
This quote by Otto Von Bismarck highlights the idea that agreements between powerful nations lose their importance when faced with existential threats. It underscores the primacy of survival and self-preservation over diplomatic commitments, suggesting that in times of crisis, practical needs override formal agreements.
Themes
TreatiesExistenceSurvivalPowerStatesConflict
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be referenced in discussions about international relations during crises.
More from Otto Von Bismarck
All quotes →Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.
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With a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and with a fraud I try to be a fraud and a half.
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Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable — the art of the next best
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It is the destiny of the weak to be devoured by the strong.
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A generation that has taken a beating is always followed by a generation that deals one.
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