Winston Churchill Quote

"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."

by:	Winston Churchill (1874-1965) Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1940-1945, 1951-1955)
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Categories:	Arms, Government, History, Learning, Peace, Power, Truth, War
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-- Jim K., Phoenix, AZ
Unilateral disarmament is suicide.  -- jim k, Austin,Tx      1
-- Wayne, Naples
I guess, ahhh? that's one way to look at it? There is a lot of argumentative history to make such a claim. I'm not quite sure how to rate this or comment on it with stars. I am personally unaware of any society (possibly with the exception of the City of Enoch) that has accepted / lived the principle of Christ's teaching (that being: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Mat 5:44) that might challenge Churchhill's assertion.  -- Mike, Norwalk
-- Robin, Spokane
The Bible is filled with war. After a long life in which we have been in many wars, I have come to believe that Washington is correct...we should not be involved in the cultures of others and should be open to trade with all. It is not our business. However, we should always have a strong, modern defense at hand. Our current administration has blown it for this country. I don't know but what it is to late to change...we have no defense...and our government is offensive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7butJGdUmK0  -- Abigail, Newport
Yeah, all we need is a strong King or Queen. Might is right. The guy is a fhorough going Victorian.Glen  -- Glen, Bethel Park, PA
[off-topic] @Anonymous, Many thanks for the link to Reason.TV's interview with Walter Williams. I am embarrassed to say that this is the first time I'd heard of Williams. Like so many GENUINE black intellectuals ( Thomas Sowell, Alan Keyes, etc. ), Williams gets almost no press these days ( when compared with camera-courting poseurs like Jesse Jackson ). Williams espouses the cultivation of the superior weapons of personal discipline and hard work. Without superior (intellectual) weapons and superior discipline no culture will thrive.  -- Byron, Fort Collins, CO      1
When a society deviates too much from Spartan discipline, especially during prolonged periods of peace and prosperity, enervation and decay are bound to set in. I love John Adams, but feel a need to extrapolate from his quotation, I must study politics and war, that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy, natural history and naval architecture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, tapestry, and porcelain.. America has gone soft, and even our art and music are low on technique and high in vulgarity.  -- Byron, Fort Collins, CO      1
British imperialism is proof of this quote. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If we don't have modern and powerful weapons, we can be conquered by those that do -- history proves this. As well, once the under-dog wins, history is replete with examples of the new 'super-power' using its force to oppress others. "Power to the people!" The key to security is the distribution of power throughout a populace -- concentration of power is always dangerous as fewer folks control more power, and the temptations can be overwhelming. Human frailties are not eliminated by more power -- they are only more empowered. Armaments should be distributed throughout the people and states. As George Carlin used to say, "We like war. We are a war-like people. Because we are good at it. But we aren't very good at anything else, though. We can't make a VCR worth a sh*t. But we can bomb the hell out of your country all right. We don't like anybody else taking over the world -- that's our f*cking job!" ;-)  -- E Archer, NYC      1
It would be much more convenient and prosperous to have educated individuals in the role of the world's elected officials then what we are typically left with after the votes are counted.  -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

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