Age Quote by Edward Gibbon
“In the purer ages of the commonwealth, the use of arms was reserved for those ranks of citizens who had a country to love, a property to defend, and some share in enacting those laws which it was their interest, as well as duty, to maintain. But in proportion as the public freedom was lost in extent of conquest, war was gradually improved into an art, and degraded into a trade.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776
War shifts from a civic duty of defending shared values to a professional enterprise as societies expand and lose freedoms.
In simple terms: War becomes a trade, not a duty.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how loss of liberty can commercialize conflict.
Themes
freedom
war
citizenship
politics
economics
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- national policy
- military recruitment
- public debate on war
- education on civic responsibility
Key Concepts
civic duty
military professionalization
commercialization
Questions to Reflect On
- How does professionalizing war affect public perception of conflict?
- What safeguards can preserve civic responsibility in defense?
A Different Perspective
If a society values liberty, it must guard against turning war into profit.
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