Jos� Ortega y Gasset Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"Civilization is nothing else but the attempt to reduce force to being the last resort."

by:	Jos� Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955) Spanish philosopher
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Categories:	Civilization, Force, Security
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Reader comments about this quote:

Civilization would on a positive note be more of "an advanced state of intellectual, cultural, and material development in human society, marked by progress in the arts and sciences, the extensive use of record-keeping, including writing, and the appearance of complex political and social institutions." An adjunct of "force to being the last resort" would be escaping or eliminating despotism or tyranny from an anti-civilization. -- Mike, Norwalk
I think that would be quite a civilized world, in my opinion. When Gandhi was asked what he thought of Western civilization, he replied, "I think it would be a good idea." I agree. ;-) -- E Archer, NYC
Military industrial complex, not very civilized are they. War machines make money not food. It was never our responsibility to police the world but to come out from among them and be ye separate. Which we were for a while. And there was peace. But now crying wolf, wolf all the time. Sly foxes, even dividing our military against itself to overthrow the upright in heart within their ranks. The dupe of statesmen, patriotism, so watch out, the hand that feeds you can cut your head off. Such are nationalist and socialist parties today with their agendas. Who let them in the door anyway? Tar and feather them all, bleeding heart liberals. -- watchman 13, USA