--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The question whether the long effort to…" description: "\"The question whether the long effort to put an end to war can succeed without another major convulsion challenges not only our minds but our sense of r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/emily-greene-balch-22411_challenges_the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to_1041219.jpg" --- # The question whether the long effort to put an end to war… ![“The question whether the long effort to put an end to war can succeed without another major convulsion challenges not only our minds but our sense of responsibility.” quote by Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/emily-greene-balch-22411_challenges_the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to_1041219.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/emily-greene-balch-22411_challenges_the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to_1041219.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/emily-greene-balch-22411_challenges_the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to_1041219.jpg) > “The question whether the long effort to put an end to war can succeed without another major convulsion challenges not only our minds but our sense of responsibility.” [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ending war may require a profound societal shift, not just diplomatic effort. **In simple terms:** Peace needs deep change, not just treaties. Key Takeaway Pursue systemic transformation for lasting peace. Themes peace war responsibility social change Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - education reform - community dialogue - policy advocacy - peacebuilding programs Key Concepts conflict resolution collective responsibility global governance Questions to Reflect On - What societal changes are needed for peace? - How can individuals contribute to large‑scale change? A Different Perspective Transformations are slow and may face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Sense of responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-responsibility/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Peace, like war, can succeed only where there is a will to enforce it, and where there is available power to enforce it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/peace-like-war-can-succeed-only-where-there-is-a-will-to-enforce-it/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [When you want to encourage a greater sense of responsibility in others (and yourself) emphasize the anticipation of accomplishment, not the penalties for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-crawford/when-you-want-to-encourage-a-greater-sense-of-responsibility-in/) [Roger Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-crawford/) > [I'm very good at delegating - people work much better when they have a real sense of responsibility. But at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/i-m-very-good-at-delegating-people-work-much-better-when-they-have-a/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) > [A father, son, husband or just a friend, a sense of responsibility best describes a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikitin-dheer/a-father-son-husband-or-just-a-friend-a-sense-of-responsibility-best/) [Nikitin Dheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikitin-dheer/) > [I'm a pessimist. But I'm a pessimist with a sense of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-a-pessimist-but-i-m-a-pessimist-with-a-sense-of-responsibility/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [You wouldn't be human if you didn't feel both a sense of responsibility and a deep sadness for those who have lost their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/you-wouldn-t-be-human-if-you-didn-t-feel-both-a-sense-of/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [“If acts of service do not come naturally for you, it is still a love language worth acquiring. It is a way of expressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/if-acts-of-service-do-not-come-naturally-for-you-it-is-still-a-love/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [The fact of the matter is I always have a really high sense of responsibility to the reader, whether it's a few readers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-i-always-have-a-really-high-sense-of/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [One must hold a deep sense of responsibility for his thoughts and actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishu/one-must-hold-a-deep-sense-of-responsibility-for-his-thoughts-and/) [Nishu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishu/) > [“Modeling is the secret to instilling a sense of responsibility about personal belongings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-fay/modeling-is-the-secret-to-instilling-a-sense-of-responsibility-about/) [Jim Fay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-fay/) > [“When you no longer make the distinction between the universe and how you are acting upon it, you are really on your own and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/when-you-no-longer-make-the-distinction-between-the-universe-and-how/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“Your generation has no sense of responsibility to a group, a calling higher than your own. You treat random friends like family and family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-braswell/your-generation-has-no-sense-of-responsibility-to-a-group-a-calling/) [Liz Braswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-braswell/) > [Enlightenment requires discipline, balance, knowledge, power, happiness and a sense of responsibility and sacrifice, being able to do things with your life that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightenment-requires-discipline-balance-knowledge-power-happiness/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Plato long ago pointed out the importance of being governed by men with sufficient sense of responsibility and comprehension of public duties to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/plato-long-ago-pointed-out-the-importance-of-being-governed-by-men/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [We need the conviction to be able to think for ourselves and to take action outof our own sense of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/we-need-the-conviction-to-be-able-to-think-for-ourselves-and-to-take/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) ## More by Emily Greene Balch > [Human nature seems to me like the Alps. The depths are profound, black as night, and terrifying, but the heights are equally real, uplifted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/human-nature-seems-to-me-like-the-alps-the-depths-are-profound-black/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Technology gives us the facilities that lessen the barriers of time and distance - the telegraph and cable, the telephone, radio, and the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/technology-gives-us-the-facilities-that-lessen-the-barriers-of-time/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Without a common loyalty to either a state or a church they have nevertheless a vast deal in common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/without-a-common-loyalty-to-either-a-state-or-a-church-they-have/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [We have lived through the flood time of fascism and of the nazism which ran its meteoric course at a cost to mankind in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/we-have-lived-through-the-flood-time-of-fascism-and-of-the-nazism/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [The First World War, and especially the latest one, largely swept away what was left in Europe of feudalism and of feudal landlords, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-first-world-war-and-especially-the-latest-one-largely-swept-away/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Probably people always feel that they are living in a time of transition, but we can hardly be mistaken perhaps in thinking that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/probably-people-always-feel-that-they-are-living-in-a-time-of/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Men who are scandalized at the lack of freedom in Russia do not ask themselves how real is liberty among the poor, the weak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/men-who-are-scandalized-at-the-lack-of-freedom-in-russia-do-not-ask/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Those who are rooted in the depths that are eternal and unchangeable and who rely on unshakeable principles, face change full of courage, courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/those-who-are-rooted-in-the-depths-that-are-eternal-and-unchangeable/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [A second characteristic of our time is the prevalence of nationalism. This is still spreading, affecting new communities, more peripheral regions and so-called backward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/a-second-characteristic-of-our-time-is-the-prevalence-of-nationalism/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [Industrialization based on machinery, already referred to as a characteristic of our age, is but one aspect of the revolution that is being wrought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/industrialization-based-on-machinery-already-referred-to-as-a/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [The role of Italy and of Austria has diminished as has that of France and Britain; Germany and Japan have suffered catastrophically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-role-of-italy-and-of-austria-has-diminished-as-has-that-of-france/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [It is natural to try to understand one's own time and to seek to analyse the forces that move it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/it-is-natural-to-try-to-understand-one-s-own-time-and-to-seek-to/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [We are not asked to subscribe to any utopia or to believe in a perfect world just around the corner. We are asked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/we-are-not-asked-to-subscribe-to-any-utopia-or-to-believe-in-a/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [A major one which no one can overlook is technological and based on inventions and discoveries which have altered the whole basis of production…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/a-major-one-which-no-one-can-overlook-is-technological-and-based-on/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) > [We speculate as to what is in store for us. But we not only undergo events, we in part cause them or at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/we-speculate-as-to-what-is-in-store-for-us-but-we-not-only-undergo/) [Emily Greene Balch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) [Explore all 27 Emily Greene Balch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/) ## More Challenges quotes > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [Our biggest challenge is to eliminate the popular perception that economists don't have anything useful to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/our-biggest-challenge-is-to-eliminate-the-popular-perception-that/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [I personally think if something's not a challenge, there's no point doing it, because you're not gonna learn much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-think-if-something-s-not-a-challenge-there-s-no-point/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men want a challenge, but they want a challenge they can win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-gaskell/men-want-a-challenge-but-they-want-a-challenge-they-can-win/) Whitney Gaskell > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Nobody challenges me. I challenge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakuntala-devi/nobody-challenges-me-i-challenge-myself/) [Shakuntala Devi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakuntala-devi/) > [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) [Browse all 8,851 Challenges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The question whether the long effort to put an end to war can succeed without another major convulsion challenges not only our minds but our sense of responsibility.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Greene Balch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to-put-an-end-to-war-can-succeed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Challenges" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to-put-an-end-to-war-can-succeed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/emily-greene-balch-22411_challenges_the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to_1041219.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/emily-greene-balch-22411_challenges_the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to_1041219.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ada/emily-greene-balch-22411_challenges_the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to_1041219.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The question whether the long effort to put an end to war can succeed without another major convulsion…” — Emily Greene Balch", "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": "Emily Greene Balch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-greene-balch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The question whether the long effort...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to-put-an-end-to-war-can-succeed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-greene-balch/the-question-whether-the-long-effort-to-put-an-end-to-war-can-succeed/#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 } } ] } ```