--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Revenge has probably been the most…" description: "\"“Revenge has probably been the most regular and prominent cause of fighting cited in anthropological accounts of pre-state societies. Violence was acti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/azar-gat-68019_coalitionary_revenge-has-probably-been-the-most-regul_1356684.jpg" --- # Revenge has probably been the most regular and prominent… ![“Revenge has probably been the most regular and prominent cause of fighting cited in anthropological accounts of pre-state societies. Violence was activated to avenge injuries to honour, property, women, and kin. If life was taken, revenge reached its peak, often leading to a vicious circle of…” quote by Azar Gat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/azar-gat-68019_coalitionary_revenge-has-probably-been-the-most-regul_1356684.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/azar-gat-68019_coalitionary_revenge-has-probably-been-the-most-regul_1356684.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/azar-gat-68019_coalitionary_revenge-has-probably-been-the-most-regul_1356684.jpg) > ““Revenge has probably been the most regular and prominent cause of fighting cited in anthropological accounts of pre-state societies. Violence was activated to avenge injuries to honour, property, women, and kin. If life was taken, revenge reached its peak, often leading to a vicious circle of death and counter-death.”” Azar Gat ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Revenge drives much of early human conflict, as societies seek to restore honor and deter future attacks through retaliation. **In simple terms:** Revenge fuels early human fights to protect honor and deter attacks. Key Takeaway Consider the costs of retaliation cycles. Themes conflict honor violence social cohesion justice Mood reflective somber Type analytical historical When to use this quote - tribal disputes - family feuds - political power struggles - legal systems - peacebuilding Key Concepts reciprocity deterrence social identity Questions to Reflect On - How can societies break the revenge cycle? - What alternatives exist to honor‑based retaliation? A Different Perspective Revenge can perpetuate endless cycles, undermining long‑term stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy/) [Revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revenge/) [Vendetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vendetta/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [“Humans have far longer memories than do animals and, thus revenge -the social settling of accounts with those who offended them- assumes a wholly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-gat/humans-have-far-longer-memories-than-do-animals-and-thus-revenge-the/) Azar Gat > [Being a warrior is not about the act of fighting, it's about being so prepared to face a challenge and believing so strongly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-machowicz/being-a-warrior-is-not-about-the-act-of-fighting-it-s-about-being-so/) [Richard Machowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-machowicz/) > [“No matter what, I am not giving up - I am not giving up on this world. 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I seek only to provide the committee with information which it may regard as relevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/i-have-no-personal-vendetta-against-clarence-thomas-i-seek-only-to/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [Me and money got a vendetta? Looking back, to tell the truth I could've did better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/me-and-money-got-a-vendetta-looking-back-to-tell-the-truth-i-could-ve/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [“So much for my great vendetta, so much for the tireless hunt for my betrayer. Isn't this how life turns out, more often than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/so-much-for-my-great-vendetta-so-much-for-the-tireless-hunt-for-my/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [I believe that order is better than chaos, creation better than destruction. I prefer gentleness to violence, forgiveness to vendetta. On the whole I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-believe-that-order-is-better-than-chaos-creation-better-than/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“What would the world come to if people kept carrying grudges against all reason? That has been the cross of Sicily, where men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/what-would-the-world-come-to-if-people-kept-carrying-grudges-against/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) > [“Ho tanti motivi, nessuno orecchiabile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-vitale/ho-tanti-motivi-nessuno-orecchiabile/) Veronica Vitale > [“If you keep on retaliating what you receive, you'll be stuck in a infinite abyss of revenge and vendetta.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pushkar-saraf/if-you-keep-on-retaliating-what-you-receive-you-ll-be-stuck-in-a/) Pushkar Saraf > [“Police officers are well known for their aggressive behaviors, search "Police Officer Angry Aggression Theory". I can speak from personal experience that they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/police-officers-are-well-known-for-their-aggressive-behaviors-search/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The soulless wanted me dead, and it was personal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gricken/the-soulless-wanted-me-dead-and-it-was-personal/) Dana Gricken > [Remember, remember the 5th of November.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fawkes/remember-remember-the-5th-of-november/) Guy Fawkes ## More by Azar Gat > [“Still, connecting others to the world economy -voluntarily, by pressure, and even by force- constituted, in principle, their only road to sustained real growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-gat/still-connecting-others-to-the-world-economy-voluntarily-by-pressure/) Azar Gat > [“To avoid a misconception, it must be clarified that a world of steadily increasing wealth by no means ends human competition, and certainly does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-gat/to-avoid-a-misconception-it-must-be-clarified-that-a-world-of/) Azar Gat > [“Humans have far longer memories than do animals and, thus revenge -the social settling of accounts with those who offended them- assumes a wholly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-gat/humans-have-far-longer-memories-than-do-animals-and-thus-revenge-the/) Azar Gat Explore all 4 Azar Gat quotes ## More Coalitionary quotes > [“Humans have far longer memories than do animals and, thus revenge -the social settling of accounts with those who offended them- assumes a wholly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-gat/humans-have-far-longer-memories-than-do-animals-and-thus-revenge-the/) Azar Gat Browse all 2 Coalitionary quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Revenge has probably been the most regular and prominent cause of fighting cited in anthropological accounts of pre-state societies. 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