--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You may either win your peace or buy it…" description: "\"You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by resistance to evil; buy it, by compromise with evil.\" — John Ruskin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/john-ruskin-314_compromise_you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it_504260.jpg" --- # You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by… ![“You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by resistance to evil; buy it, by compromise with evil.” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/john-ruskin-314_compromise_you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it_504260.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/john-ruskin-314_compromise_you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it_504260.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/john-ruskin-314_compromise_you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it_504260.jpg) > “You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by resistance to evil; buy it, by compromise with evil.” [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing peace through moral resistance or compromise with evil; true peace requires integrity. **In simple terms:** Peace comes from standing against wrongdoing, not compromising. Key Takeaway Choose integrity over compromise. Themes ethics peace integrity Mood reflective serious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal decisions - political negotiations - conflict resolution - leadership Key Concepts moral philosophy inner conflict Questions to Reflect On - What compromises are you making for short‑term peace? - Can peace be genuine without resistance? A Different Perspective Compromise may seem easier but erodes long‑term peace. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buy Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buy-compromise-4287654/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Compromise Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise-evil-2423657/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peace Buy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace-buy-4287655/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Win Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-peace-361962/) ## Related quotes > [“It is incumbent upon us to consider this question from a Christian point of view, and to ask whether the supernatural influence, which ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-muir/it-is-incumbent-upon-us-to-consider-this-question-from-a-christian/) [William Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-muir/) > [We know how to win wars. We must learn now to win peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-know-how-to-win-wars-we-must-learn-now-to-win-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And some win peace who spend The skill of words to sweeten despair Of finding consolation where Life has but one dark end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/and-some-win-peace-who-spend-the-skill-of-words-to-sweeten-despair-of/) [Walter de La Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [Today the main, over-riding purpose of the European Union is different: not to win peace, but to secure prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/today-the-main-over-riding-purpose-of-the-european-union-is-different/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [The military's job is to win the war. A president's job is to win the peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-military-s-job-is-to-win-the-war-a-president-s-job-is-to-win-the/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I've got to see the Brexit process through. we won the war, but we must win the peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/i-ve-got-to-see-the-brexit-process-through-we-won-the-war-but-we-must/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [“Somehow the Germans lose every war but win every peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-hall-kelly/somehow-the-germans-lose-every-war-but-win-every-peace/) [Martha Hall Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-hall-kelly/) > [We proved that the aggressors do not necessarily emerge as the victors, but we learned that the victors do not necessarily win peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/we-proved-that-the-aggressors-do-not-necessarily-emerge-as-the/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [I believe America will always win the war. It's a superpower that no one can challenge. The real challenge is for the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/i-believe-america-will-always-win-the-war-it-s-a-superpower-that-no/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [We should wage war not to win war, but to win peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-wage-war-not-to-win-war-but-to-win-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is better to win the peace and to lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/it-is-better-to-win-the-peace-and-to-lose-the-war/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [“Weapons win wars, but it takes ideas to win the peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/weapons-win-wars-but-it-takes-ideas-to-win-the-peace/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [We've got to win this battle, and we will. We have to win the peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-d-amato/we-ve-got-to-win-this-battle-and-we-will-we-have-to-win-the-peace/) [Al D'Amato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-d-amato/) > [My advice is: 1. Be judicious in the use of military force. 2. When military force is required, use overwhelming force. 3. Do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stivers/my-advice-is-1-be-judicious-in-the-use-of-military-force-2-when/) [Steve Stivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stivers/) > [war to win peace is at best a dangerously illogical method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vida-dutton-scudder/war-to-win-peace-is-at-best-a-dangerously-illogical-method/) [Vida Dutton Scudder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vida-dutton-scudder/) ## More by John Ruskin > [“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/occult-theft-theft-which-hides-itself-even-from-itself-and-is-legal/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/mighty-of-heart-mighty-of-mind-magnanimous-to-be-this-is-indeed-to-be/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/life-is-a-magic-vase-filled-to-the-brim-so-made-that-you-cannot-dip/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/i-am-far-more-provoked-at-being-thought-foolish-by-foolish-people/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [When we build ... let it not be for present delights nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/when-we-build-let-it-not-be-for-present-delights-nor-for-present-use/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-far-more-difficult-to-be-simple-than-to-be-complicated-far-more/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-a-good-and-safe-rule-to-sojourn-in-every-place-as-if-you-meant/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“You may trust to the truth of my sympathy; but you must remember that I am engaged in the investigation of enormous religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-trust-to-the-truth-of-my-sympathy-but-you-must-remember-that/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/and-remember-child-that-nothing-is-ever-done-beautifully-which-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-s-unwise-to-pay-too-much-but-it-s-worse-to-pay-too-little/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/like-other-beautiful-things-in-this-world-its-end-that-of-a-shaft-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-art-of-drawing-which-is-of-more-real-importance-to-the-human-race/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) [Explore all 696 John Ruskin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## More Compromise quotes > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/) [Ludwig Erhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-erhard/) > [Real love is not based upon romance,candle light,dinner and walk along beach.Infact,It's based on care,compromise,respect and trust..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-love-is-not-based-upon-romance-candle-light-dinner-and-walk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Simple answers, reductionist politics, are the most prone to compromise, to saying we’re addressing the essential issue and all that other stuff can slide.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/simple-answers-reductionist-politics-are-the-most-prone-to-compromise/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“I’m not sure sex qualifies as R and R, but it’s a compromise I can live with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-morgen/i-m-not-sure-sex-qualifies-as-r-and-r-but-it-s-a-compromise-i-can/) [Shelby Morgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-morgen/) > [You know what the Englishman's idea of compromise is? He says, Some people say there is a God. Some people say there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/you-know-what-the-englishman-s-idea-of-compromise-is-he-says-some/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [The human spirit will not invest itself in a compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fritz/the-human-spirit-will-not-invest-itself-in-a-compromise/) [Robert Fritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fritz/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“And what would you like, Sharie?" asked Miss Mush. "What do you have?" asked Sharie. "Potato salad". "What else is there?" asked Sharie. "Nothing"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/and-what-would-you-like-sharie-asked-miss-mush-what-do-you-have-asked/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) > [“The fact that I can get away with something is the very reason why I shouldn’t do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-fact-that-i-can-get-away-with-something-is-the-very-reason-why-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [There could be some compromise, but I think we have to stick to the provisions of the treaty, and the provisions of the treaty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-santer/there-could-be-some-compromise-but-i-think-we-have-to-stick-to-the/) [Jacques Santer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-santer/) > [Love is not only about romance, candle-lit dinners and walking hand in hand. In fact, real love is about a lifetime of compromise, commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aarti-khurana/love-is-not-only-about-romance-candle-lit-dinners-and-walking-hand-in/) [Aarti Khurana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aarti-khurana/) [Browse all 2,076 Compromise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by resistance to evil; buy it, by compromise with evil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ruskin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it-win-it-by-resistance-to-evil/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compromise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it-win-it-by-resistance-to-evil/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/john-ruskin-314_compromise_you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it_504260.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/john-ruskin-314_compromise_you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it_504260.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/john-ruskin-314_compromise_you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it_504260.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by resistance to evil; buy it, by compromise with evil.” — John Ruskin", "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 Ruskin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You may either win your peace...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it-win-it-by-resistance-to-evil/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-either-win-your-peace-or-buy-it-win-it-by-resistance-to-evil/#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 } } ] } ```