---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want peace, you won't get it with…"
description: "\"If you want peace, you won't get it with violence.\" — John Lennon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/john-lennon-322_crime_if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with_231334.jpg"
---

#  If you want peace, you won't get it with violence.

![“If you want peace, you won't get it with violence.” quote by John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/john-lennon-322_crime_if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with_231334.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/john-lennon-322_crime_if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with_231334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/john-lennon-322_crime_if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with_231334.jpg)

> “If you want peace, you won't get it with violence.”

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Peace cannot be achieved through force; it requires non‑violent approaches.

**In simple terms:** Violence blocks peace.

Key Takeaway

Choose non‑violent methods.

Themes

peace non‑violence conflict resolution ethics

Mood

hopeful determined

Type

advice political

When to use this quote

- protests
- negotiations
- community building
- education programs

Key Concepts

pacifism social change moral philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- What non‑violent steps can you take today?
- How does violence undermine peace efforts?

A Different Perspective

Violence may sometimes be seen as necessary defense.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peace Won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace-won-546642/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-peace-331340/) [Won Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/won-violence-2340455/)

## Related quotes

> [“Nonviolence cannot be used successfully to protect special privileges that have been won by violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-t-dellinger/nonviolence-cannot-be-used-successfully-to-protect-special-privileges/)

[David T. Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-t-dellinger/)

> [If you want to get peace, you can get it as soon as you like if we all pull together. ... Think peace, live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-to-get-peace-you-can-get-it-as-soon-as-you-like-if-we-all/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Those who can win a war well can rarely make a good peace and those who could make a good peace would never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/those-who-can-win-a-war-well-can-rarely-make-a-good-peace-and-those/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [Peace will never be won if men reserve for war their greatest efforts, Peace, too, requires well-directed and sustained sacrificial endeavor. Given that, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/peace-will-never-be-won-if-men-reserve-for-war-their-greatest-efforts/)

[John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/)

> [Yes, peace can and must be won, to save the world from the terrible destruction of World War III.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/yes-peace-can-and-must-be-won-to-save-the-world-from-the-terrible/)

[Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/)

> [We have known the bitterness of defeat and the exultation of triumph, and from both we have learned there can be no turning back.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/we-have-known-the-bitterness-of-defeat-and-the-exultation-of-triumph/)

[Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/)

> [I'm in the government to make sure that if there's an opportunity to make peace, it won't be missed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/i-m-in-the-government-to-make-sure-that-if-there-s-an-opportunity-to/)

[Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/)

> [Peace is not won by those who fiercely guard their differences, but by those who with open minds and hearts seek out connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/peace-is-not-won-by-those-who-fiercely-guard-their-differences-but-by/)

[Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/)

> [Peace won by compromise is usually a short lived achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfield-scott/peace-won-by-compromise-is-usually-a-short-lived-achievement/)

[Winfield Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfield-scott/)

> [No peace was ever won from fate by subterfuge or argument; no peace is ever in store for any of us, but that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-peace-was-ever-won-from-fate-by-subterfuge-or-argument-no-peace-is/)

[John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/)

> [Peace won by the compromise of principles is a short-lived achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/peace-won-by-the-compromise-of-principles-is-a-short-lived-achievement/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Love is like Peace; It won't last long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-peace-it-won-t-last-long/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I believe that as soon as people want peace in the world they can have it. The trouble is they are not aware they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-believe-that-as-soon-as-people-want-peace-in-the-world-they-can/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-do-not-want-the-peace-which-passeth-understanding-i-want-the/)

[Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/)

## More by John Lennon

> [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [As someone from the working class I was always interested in Russia and China and everything that related to the working class, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/as-someone-from-the-working-class-i-was-always-interested-in-russia/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [I never went to high school reunions. My thing is, out of sight, out of mind. That's my attitude toward life. So I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-never-went-to-high-school-reunions-my-thing-is-out-of-sight-out-of/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Today's folk song is rock and roll. Although it happened to emanate from America, that's not really important in the end because we wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/today-s-folk-song-is-rock-and-roll-although-it-happened-to-emanate/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [If you want to get peace, you can get it as soon as you like if we all pull together. ... Think peace, live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-to-get-peace-you-can-get-it-as-soon-as-you-like-if-we-all/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [The reason why kids are crazy is because nobody can face the responsibility of bringing them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-reason-why-kids-are-crazy-is-because-nobody-can-face-the/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [In my case I've never not been political, though religion tended to overshadow it in my acid days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/in-my-case-i-ve-never-not-been-political-though-religion-tended-to/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to go to sleep, but the song won't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/songwriting-is-about-getting-the-demon-out-of-me-it-s-like-being/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Imagine there's no heaven... it's easy if you try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/imagine-there-s-no-heaven-it-s-easy-if-you-try/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/man-you-should-have-seen-them-kicking-edgar-allan-poe/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Love is like a flower - you've got to let it grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/love-is-like-a-flower-you-ve-got-to-let-it-grow/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-don-t-know-which-will-go-first-rock-n-roll-or-christianity/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [The main hangup in the world today is hypocrisy and insecurity. If people can't face up to the fact of other people being naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-main-hangup-in-the-world-today-is-hypocrisy-and-insecurity-if/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

[Explore all 681 John Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

## More Crime quotes

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/)

[Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/)

[Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/)

> [Taking notes while watching Forensic Files and Snapped. I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/)

[Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/)

> [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/)

[Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/)

> [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/)

[Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/)

> [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/)

[Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/)

> [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [Too much virtue can be criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/too-much-virtue-can-be-criminal/)

[Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/)

> [The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013, often at a far faster rate than the Bureau of Prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-yates/the-federal-prison-population-increased-by-almost-800-percent-between/)

[Sally Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-yates/)

> [ \[P\]rogress, however, has not sufficiently infiltrated the Interior Ministry, affording protection to those who participated in the Bytyqi murders and other egregious Milosevic-era crimes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-bohlen/p-rogress-however-has-not-sufficiently-infiltrated-the-interior/)

[Avis Bohlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avis-bohlen/)

[Browse all 8,359 Crime quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you want peace, you won't get it with violence.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Lennon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with-violence/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Crime"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with-violence/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/john-lennon-322_crime_if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with_231334.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/john-lennon-322_crime_if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with_231334.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/john-lennon-322_crime_if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with_231334.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you want peace, you won't get it with violence.” — John Lennon",
                "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": "John Lennon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If you want peace, you won't...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with-violence/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-peace-you-won-t-get-it-with-violence/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
