It is a socialist idea that making profits is a vice; I consider the real vice is making losses.
Winston ChurchillRead
This truth may be unfashionable, unpalatable, no doubt unpopular, but, if it is the truth, the story of mankind shows that war was universal and unceasing for millions of years before armaments were invented or armies organized. Indeed, the lucid intervals of peace and order only occurred in human history after armaments in the hands of strong governments have come into being, and civilization in every age has been nursed only in cradles guarded by superior weapons and superior discipline.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the inevitability of war throughout human history, suggesting that peace has often existed only alongside strong military forces.
Winston Churchill's quote emphasizes that war has been a constant throughout human history, long before the advent of organized armies and weaponry. It argues that the rare moments of peace and civilization have often emerged in periods where powerful governments maintained control through military strength. The quote challenges the notion that peace can exist without the influence of military power, presenting a perspective that highlights the sometimes harsh realities of human nature and societal development.
Themes
WarPeaceCivilizationHistoryGovernment
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on military funding, one might quote Churchill to argue for the necessity of strong defense.
More from Winston Churchill
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Politics is almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times.
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I will not pretend that if I had to choose between communism and Nazism I would choose communism.
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Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them.
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True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous, and conflicting information.
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