--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no more dangerous thing for a…" description: "\"There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.\" — Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_dangerous_there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-d_538084.png" --- # There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a… ![“There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.” quote by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_dangerous_there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-d_538084.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_dangerous_there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-d_538084.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_dangerous_there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-d_538084.png) > “There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.” [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A democracy is endangered when its foreign policy is driven by pre‑emptive war motives. **In simple terms:** War‑driven policies threaten democracy. Key Takeaway Seek diplomatic solutions over pre‑emptive aggression. Themes democracy foreign policy war pre‑emptive danger Mood cautious serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - government decision‑making - military strategy - public debate - policy education Key Concepts political theory international relations Questions to Reflect On - When is pre‑emptive action morally acceptable? - How can democracies balance security and liberty? A Different Perspective Pre‑emptive war may be justified in genuine self‑defense scenarios. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Foreign policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-policy/) [Preventive war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preventive-war/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [As a lawyer, as a former prosecutor, and as a son and grandson of foreign-service officers who tried to represent American democracy in foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/as-a-lawyer-as-a-former-prosecutor-and-as-a-son-and-grandson-of/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [This has all the appearance of a foreign power trying to undermine structures of legitimacy of an American election. That is a serious matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerson/this-has-all-the-appearance-of-a-foreign-power-trying-to-undermine/) [Michael Gerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerson/) > [I think that it's very important to have the United States' engagement in many situations we have around the world, be it in Syria,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-guterres/i-think-that-it-s-very-important-to-have-the-united-states-engagement/) [Antonio Guterres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-guterres/) > [Americans tend to focus on external threats to our democracy: foreign adversaries wielding disinformation and subversion. But the most serious dangers have always come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/americans-tend-to-focus-on-external-threats-to-our-democracy-foreign/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-david-eisenhower/when-people-speak-to-you-about-a-preventive-war-you-tell-them-to-go/) [Dwight David Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-david-eisenhower/) > [Another term for preventive war is aggressive war - starting wars because someday somebody might do something to us. That is not part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/another-term-for-preventive-war-is-aggressive-war-starting-wars/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“It appears utterly impossible that the United States will start a “preventive war.” We will fight when attacked, either directly or in a territory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-usher/it-appears-utterly-impossible-that-the-united-states-will-start-a/) Shaun Usher > [Possibly my hatred of war blinds me so that I cannot comprehend the arguments they adduce. But, in my opinion, there is no such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/possibly-my-hatred-of-war-blinds-me-so-that-i-cannot-comprehend-the/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“Bismarck once said, ‘Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-luce/bismarck-once-said-preventive-war-is-like-committing-suicide-out-of/) [Edward Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-luce/) > [The target of preventive war must have several characteristics. It must be virtually defenceless; it must be important enough to be worth the trouble;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-target-of-preventive-war-must-have-several-characteristics-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked about such a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/preventive-war-was-an-invention-of-hitler-i-would-not-even-listen-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A preventive war, to my mind, is an impossibility today. How could you have one if one of its features would be several cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/a-preventive-war-to-my-mind-is-an-impossibility-today-how-could-you/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“I think every big town should contain artificial waterfalls that people could descend in very fragile canoes, and they should contain bathing pools full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-every-big-town-should-contain-artificial-waterfalls-that/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/preventive-war-is-like-committing-suicide-out-of-fear-of-death/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [I'd like to see a more aggressive attitude on the part of the United States. That doesn't mean launching an immediate preventive war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-lemay/i-d-like-to-see-a-more-aggressive-attitude-on-the-part-of-the-united/) [Curtis LeMay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-lemay/) ## More by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [History is full of surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-is-full-of-surprises/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The genius of impeachment lay in the fact that it could punish the man without punishing the office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-genius-of-impeachment-lay-in-the-fact-that-it-could-punish-the/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Every President reconstructs the Presidency to meet his own psychological needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/every-president-reconstructs-the-presidency-to-meet-his-own/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The only President who clearly died of overwork was Polk, and that was a long time ago. Hoover, who worked intensely and humorlessly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-only-president-who-clearly-died-of-overwork-was-polk-and-that-was/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Righteousness is easy in retrospect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/righteousness-is-easy-in-retrospect/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The first rule of democracy is to distrust all leaders who begin to believe their own publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-first-rule-of-democracy-is-to-distrust-all-leaders-who-begin-to/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Few secret undertakings ever did any nation any good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/few-secret-undertakings-ever-did-any-nation-any-good/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [In Defense of the World Order . . . U.S. soldiers would have to kill and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-defense-of-the-world-order-u-s-soldiers-would-have-to-kill-and-die/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [In view of the tide of religiosity engulfing a once secular republic it is refreshing to be reminded by Freethinkers that free thought and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-view-of-the-tide-of-religiosity-engulfing-a-once-secular-republic/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [If we are to survive, we must have ideas, vision, and courage. These things are rarely produced by committees. Everything that matters in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/if-we-are-to-survive-we-must-have-ideas-vision-and-courage-these/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The military struggle may frankly be regarded for what it actually was, namely a war for independence, an armed attempt to imposethe views of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-military-struggle-may-frankly-be-regarded-for-what-it-actually/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Those who are convinced they have a monopoly on The Truth always feel that they are only saving the world when they slaughter the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/those-who-are-convinced-they-have-a-monopoly-on-the-truth-always-feel/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [There is far less to the Presidency, in terms of essential activity, than meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-far-less-to-the-presidency-in-terms-of-essential-activity/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [All wars are popular for the first 30 days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/all-wars-are-popular-for-the-first-30-days/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) [Explore all 48 Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## More Dangerous quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [In my youth-team days, I was always a left-winger who would stay close to the byline and put crosses in the box, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjen-robben/in-my-youth-team-days-i-was-always-a-left-winger-who-would-stay-close/) [Arjen Robben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjen-robben/) > [The temptations of God were always more dangerous for mankind than those of Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-temptations-of-god-were-always-more-dangerous-for-mankind-than/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Die gefährlichste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung derer, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben. (The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-von-humboldt/die-gef-hrlichste-weltanschauung-ist-die-weltanschauung-derer-die-die/) [Alexander von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-von-humboldt/) > [The most dangerous creature here would have to be me. So maybe I'm just scared of my own shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-most-dangerous-creature-here-would-have-to-be-me-so-maybe-i-m/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The more people that learn about you, even if you're an underdog, then you can come under fire a lot and the more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/the-more-people-that-learn-about-you-even-if-you-re-an-underdog-then/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) Browse all 6,450 Dangerous quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-democracy-than-a-foreign/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dangerous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-democracy-than-a-foreign/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_dangerous_there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-d_538084.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_dangerous_there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-d_538084.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/469/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_dangerous_there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-d_538084.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.” — Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is no more dangerous thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-democracy-than-a-foreign/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-democracy-than-a-foreign/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```