Common Quote by Bertolt Brecht
“The war which is coming Is not the first one. There were Other wars before it. When the last one came to an end There were conquerors and conquered. Among the conquered the common people Starved. Among the conquerors The common people starved too.”
About This Quote
Source Play: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, 1941
War repeats history; both victors and victims suffer, especially ordinary people who endure hunger regardless of side.
In simple terms: War harms everyone, especially civilians.
Key Takeaway
Recognize shared suffering in conflict.
Themes
war
human suffering
history
inequality
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- refugee crises
- economic hardship
- post‑war reconstruction
- social policy
- humanitarian aid
Key Concepts
power dynamics
social injustice
cyclical conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- How does war affect ordinary lives differently?
- What can break the cycle of shared suffering?
A Different Perspective
The quote overlooks wars where civilians may thrive due to post‑war booms.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
