Accidents Quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
“War is then not a relationship between one man and another, but a relationship between one State and another, in which individuals are enemies only by accident, not as men, nor even as citizens, but as soldiers; not as members of the fatherland, but as its defenders. Finally, any State can only have other States, and not men, as enemies, inasmuch as it is impossible to fix a true relation between things of different natures.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Social Contract, 1762
War is a conflict between states, not individuals; individuals become enemies only by circumstance, not by nature.
In simple terms: War pits nations against each other, not people.
Key Takeaway
Focus on diplomatic solutions over conflict.
Themes
war
state relations
human nature
political philosophy
conflict
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- International diplomacy
- peacebuilding
- political strategy
Key Concepts
National interest
accidental enmity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals influence state decisions?
- What mechanisms reduce accidental enmity between nations?
A Different Perspective
May underestimate individual agency in war.
