Investing Quote by Bertrand De Jouvenel
““The entire stock of relationships which suited in war—militiae—was regarded as inadmissible and improper in peace—domi. We have the measure of how right the Romans were in this respect in the experience of the intellectual and moral impoverishment brought about by total mobilisation.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Ethics of War and Peace, 1940
War creates social structures that become unacceptable in peace, leading to moral decline when mobilized.
In simple terms: War shapes societies, peace makes those structures seem wrong.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how wartime norms affect peacetime values.
Themes
war
society
morality
politics
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
historical
When to use this quote
- post‑war reconstruction
- policy making
- education reform
Key Concepts
social contract
military ethics
civilian life
Questions to Reflect On
- How does wartime mobilization affect civilian life?
- Can societies fully revert to pre‑war norms?
A Different Perspective
Peace may retain some wartime habits despite criticism.
![“The custom of saluting [i.e., embracing] ladies by their relatives and friends was introduced, it is said, by the early Romans, not out of respect originally, but to find by their breath whether they had been drinking wine, this being criminal for women to do, as it sometimes led to adultery.” quote by Joseph Haydn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f54/joseph-haydn-25205_adultery_the-custom-of-saluting-i-e-embracing-lad_420485.jpg)
