--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They were conquerors, and for that you…" description: "\"“They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force--nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/joseph-conrad-336_quote_they-were-conquerors-and-for-that-you-wa_1310231.jpg" --- # They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute… ![“They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force--nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others. They grabbed what they could get for the sake of what was to be got. It was just robbery with violence, aggravated…” quote by Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/joseph-conrad-336_quote_they-were-conquerors-and-for-that-you-wa_1310231.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/joseph-conrad-336_quote_they-were-conquerors-and-for-that-you-wa_1310231.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/joseph-conrad-336_quote_they-were-conquerors-and-for-that-you-wa_1310231.jpg) > ““They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force--nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others. They grabbed what they could get for the sake of what was to be got. It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind--as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness. The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.”” [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He condemns imperial conquest as violent robbery, driven by accidental strength and racial prejudice. **In simple terms:** Imperialism is violent, unjust, and rooted in prejudice. Key Takeaway Reject exploitation and challenge racist ideologies. Themes imperialism violence racism Mood critical thought‑provoking Type literary political When to use this quote - historical analysis - social justice activism - education curricula Key Concepts colonialism morality power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies dismantle lingering imperial mindsets? - What responsibilities do we have to address past injustices? A Different Perspective The view may overlook complexities of historical actors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conquerors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquerors/) ## Related quotes > [“They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force—nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/they-were-conquerors-and-for-that-you-want-only-brute-force-nothing-2/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force--nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/they-were-conquerors-and-for-that-you-want-only-brute-force-nothing/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“They were no colonists; their administration was merely a squeeze, and nothing more, I suspect. 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Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“Conquerors, my son, consider as true history only what they have themselves fabricated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-habiby/conquerors-my-son-consider-as-true-history-only-what-they-have/) Emile Habiby > [“Napoleon, the greatest of the conquerors, is a sufficient proof that great men of action are criminals, and therefore, not geniuses. 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But this comes from the fact that in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/every-man-has-felt-himself-to-be-the-equal-of-a-god-at-certain/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“The supposition, however, that the "Smiths" were the Semitic conquerors, and that they won their way by the aid of their superior weapons of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-william-king/the-supposition-however-that-the-smiths-were-the-semitic-conquerors/) [Leonard William King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-william-king/) [Browse all 61 Conquerors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquerors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force--nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others. They grabbed what they could get for the sake of what was to be got. It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind--as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness. 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