--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy, with its promise of…" description: "\"Democracy, with its promise of international peace, has been no better guarantee against war than the old dynastic rule of kings.\" — Jan Smuts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/jan-smuts-29950_against-war_democracy-with-its-promise-of-internatio_2581918.png" --- # Democracy, with its promise of international peace, has… ![“Democracy, with its promise of international peace, has been no better guarantee against war than the old dynastic rule of kings.” quote by Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/jan-smuts-29950_against-war_democracy-with-its-promise-of-internatio_2581918.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/jan-smuts-29950_against-war_democracy-with-its-promise-of-internatio_2581918.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/844/jan-smuts-29950_against-war_democracy-with-its-promise-of-internatio_2581918.png) > “Democracy, with its promise of international peace, has been no better guarantee against war than the old dynastic rule of kings.” [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy fails to guarantee peace any more than monarchies. **In simple terms:** Democracy isn’t a peace guarantee. Key Takeaway Seek deeper peace mechanisms. Themes politics peace history Mood analytical critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - international diplomacy - policy making - education Key Concepts governance models conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - What structures truly prevent war? - Can democracy evolve to ensure peace? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook practical security needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Against war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-war/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [International peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international-peace/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There's never any guarantee at war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/there-s-never-any-guarantee-at-war/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [Democracy as a promise means that society can never be just enough and that the self-reflection and struggles that enable all members of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/democracy-as-a-promise-means-that-society-can-never-be-just-enough/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Pay 2 Play vividly tells the story of the threat posed to our political process by big money interests and what we can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonifaz/pay-2-play-vividly-tells-the-story-of-the-threat-posed-to-our/) John Bonifaz > [Where is the peace in more is better? This idea keeps us exclusively in the physical domain. You can replace the more is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/where-is-the-peace-in-more-is-better-this-idea-keeps-us-exclusively/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Be selective in your battles because sometimes peace is much better than being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naz/be-selective-in-your-battles-because-sometimes-peace-is-much-better/) [Naz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naz/) > [Better than a thousand hollow words Is one word that brings peace. Better than a thousand hollow verses Is one verse that brings peace.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/better-than-a-thousand-hollow-words-is-one-word-that-brings-peace/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/a-crust-eaten-in-peace-is-better-than-a-banquet-partaken-in-anxiety/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [It is a principle incorporated into the settled policy of America, that as peace is better than war, war is better than tribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-a-principle-incorporated-into-the-settled-policy-of-america/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“Be careful when you choose your battle. In all cases peace is better than proving you are right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sameh-elsayed/be-careful-when-you-choose-your-battle-in-all-cases-peace-is-better/) [Sameh Elsayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sameh-elsayed/) > [“Living your life working for peace and a better humanity is an awesome task. Even if you are mocked, laughed at and ridiculed for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/living-your-life-working-for-peace-and-a-better-humanity-is-an/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [Croesus said to Cambyses; That peace was better than war; because in peace the sons did bury their fathers, but in wars the fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/croesus-said-to-cambyses-that-peace-was-better-than-war-because-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be selective in your battles, sometimes peace is better than being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-selective-in-your-battles-sometimes-peace-is-better-than-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be selective in your battles for sometimes peace is better than being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-selective-in-your-battles-for-sometimes-peace-is-better-than-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men give up one thing to take up another, but in spite of numerous changes they do not find peace. They are no better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/men-give-up-one-thing-to-take-up-another-but-in-spite-of-numerous/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Peace is only better than war when it's not hell too. War being hell makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/peace-is-only-better-than-war-when-it-s-not-hell-too-war-being-hell/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) ## More by Jan Smuts > [The intimate rapport with nature is one of the most precious things in life. Nature is indeed very close to us; sometimes closer than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/the-intimate-rapport-with-nature-is-one-of-the-most-precious-things/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [If a nation does not want a monarchy, change the nation's mind. If a nation does not need a monarchy, change the nation's needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/if-a-nation-does-not-want-a-monarchy-change-the-nation-s-mind-if-a/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [When I look at history, I am a pessimist...but when I look at prehistory, I am an optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/when-i-look-at-history-i-am-a-pessimist-but-when-i-look-at-prehistory/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [This is a good world. We need not approve of all the items in it, nor of all the individuals in it; but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/this-is-a-good-world-we-need-not-approve-of-all-the-items-in-it-nor/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [To me the greatest thing that has happened on this earth of ours is the rise of the human race to the vision of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/to-me-the-greatest-thing-that-has-happened-on-this-earth-of-ours-is/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [The mountain is not something eternally sublime; it has a great historic and spiritual meaning to us. It stands for us as the ladder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/the-mountain-is-not-something-eternally-sublime-it-has-a-great/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [If there was to be equal manhood suffrage the whites would be swamped all over South Africa by the blacks and the whole position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/if-there-was-to-be-equal-manhood-suffrage-the-whites-would-be-swamped/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [History writes the word 'Reconciliation' over all her quarrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/history-writes-the-word-reconciliation-over-all-her-quarrels/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [What was everybody's business in the end proved to be nobody's business. Each one looked to the other to take the lead, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/what-was-everybody-s-business-in-the-end-proved-to-be-nobody-s/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [...evolution is the gradual development and stratification of progressive series of wholes, stretching from the inorganic beginnings to the highest level of spiritual creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/evolution-is-the-gradual-development-and-stratification-of/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [In spite of the great advances which have been made in our knowledge, some fundamental gaps remain. Matter, life and mind still remain utter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/in-spite-of-the-great-advances-which-have-been-made-in-our-knowledge/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [Perhaps it is God's will to lead the people of South Africa through defeat and humiliation to a better future and a brighter day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/perhaps-it-is-god-s-will-to-lead-the-people-of-south-africa-through/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [A man is not defeated by his opponents but by himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/a-man-is-not-defeated-by-his-opponents-but-by-himself/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [Having no human companion I felt a spirit of comradeship for the objects of nature around me. In my childish way I communed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/having-no-human-companion-i-felt-a-spirit-of-comradeship-for-the/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [When in doubt, do the courageous things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/when-in-doubt-do-the-courageous-things/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) [Explore all 18 Jan Smuts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) ## More Against war quotes > [“The fire was extinguished, and sniper fire had ceased. Nobody will budge, they were all dead. 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