Defence Quote by Aldous Huxley
““Defending democracy" also sounds fine; but to defend democracy by military means, one must be militarily efficient and one cannot become militarily efficient without centralizing power, setting up a tyranny, imposing some form of conscription or slavery to the state. In other words, the miltary defence of democracy in contemporary circumstances entails the abolition of democracy even before war starts.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Paradox of Defense”, 1972
Defending democracy militarily requires centralizing power, which threatens democracy itself.
In simple terms: Military defense can undermine democracy.
Key Takeaway
Beware of sacrificing liberty for security.
Themes
democracy
military
power
freedom
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy making
- national security
- civil rights activism
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
civil‑military relations
Questions to Reflect On
- Can democracy be defended without coercion?
- What alternatives exist to military defense?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overlook non‑military defense strategies.
![“The best defence [for a democracy, for the public good] is aggressiveness, the aggressiveness of the involved citizen. We need to reassert that slow, time-consuming, inefficient, boring process that requires our involvement; it is called 'being a citizen.' The public good is not something that you…” quote by John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/612/john-ralston-saul-3128_aggressiveness_the-best-defence-for-a-democracy-for-the_1365828.jpg)
