Death Quote by Albert Camus
““once I admitted the arguments of necessity and force majeure put forward by the less eminent, I couldn’t reject those of the eminent. To which they retorted that the surest way of playing the game of the red robes was to leave to them the monopoly of the death penalty. My reply to this was that if you gave in once, there was no reason for not continuing to give in. It seems to me that history has borne me out; today there’s a sort of competition who will kill the most. They’re all mad over murder and they couldn’t stop killing men even if they wanted to.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Stranger, Albert Camus, 1942
The quote warns that conceding to any authority, even under pressure, can lead to a slippery slope where violence becomes normalized and competition for killing escalates.
In simple terms: Giving in once leads to more giving in, fostering violence.
Key Takeaway
Resist early compromises to prevent escalation.
Themes
authority
violence
ethics
power
slippery_slope
Mood
cautious
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- Judicial decisions
- political negotiations
- personal moral dilemmas
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
Moral philosophy
political theory
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you compromised and what were the long‑term effects?
- Can absolute resistance ever be ethical?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook contexts where compromise is necessary to prevent greater harm.
