--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The professional soldier gains more and…" description: "\"The professional soldier gains more and more power as the general courage of a community declines.\" — Gilbert K. Chesterton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_community_the-professional-soldier-gains-more-and_1405330.png" --- # The professional soldier gains more and more power as the… ![“The professional soldier gains more and more power as the general courage of a community declines.” quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_community_the-professional-soldier-gains-more-and_1405330.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_community_the-professional-soldier-gains-more-and_1405330.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_community_the-professional-soldier-gains-more-and_1405330.png) > “The professional soldier gains more and more power as the general courage of a community declines.” [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When military power grows, civilian courage wanes, leading to a power imbalance. **In simple terms:** Power shifts from people to soldiers. Key Takeaway Strengthen civic engagement. Themes power courage military citizenry Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - Voting - community organizing - defense policy debates - education on civic duty Key Concepts Political philosophy civil-military relations social contract Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance security and liberty? - What role should citizens play in defense decisions? A Different Perspective May overlook legitimate defense needs; not all soldiers are oppressive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) ## Related quotes > [The first of all qualities of a general is courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/the-first-of-all-qualities-of-a-general-is-courage/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [If one is a professional soldier, it is part of one's job to die sooner or later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/if-one-is-a-professional-soldier-it-is-part-of-one-s-job-to-die/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“To a man, professional soldiers despised terrorists, and each would dream about getting them in an even-up-battle; the idea of the Field of Honor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/to-a-man-professional-soldiers-despised-terrorists-and-each-would/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [There's only one way for a professional soldier to die. 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