--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All great civilizations, in their early…" description: "\"All great civilizations, in their early stages, are based on success in war.\" — Kenneth Clark" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/kenneth-clark-9681_based_all-great-civilizations-in-their-early-s_492507.png" --- # All great civilizations, in their early stages, are based… ![“All great civilizations, in their early stages, are based on success in war.” quote by Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/kenneth-clark-9681_based_all-great-civilizations-in-their-early-s_492507.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/kenneth-clark-9681_based_all-great-civilizations-in-their-early-s_492507.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/kenneth-clark-9681_based_all-great-civilizations-in-their-early-s_492507.png) > “All great civilizations, in their early stages, are based on success in war.” [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early societies that excel in warfare often build structures, discipline, and technology that later support broader civilization achievements. **In simple terms:** War success often underpins early civilization growth. Key Takeaway Recognize the role of conflict in development. Themes conflict power development Mood analytical historical Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - military history - political science - urban planning Key Concepts strategic dominance resource control Questions to Reflect On - What are non‑violent foundations of strong societies? - Can war be replaced by competition? A Different Perspective Peaceful cooperation can also foster growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilizations/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [We are like ignorant shepherds living on a site where great civilizations once flourished. The shepherds play with the fragments that pop up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/we-are-like-ignorant-shepherds-living-on-a-site-where-great-2/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [Civilizations may clash, but they surely fall if robbed of light from above. It could come from the 1 percent or the 99%, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-forbes/civilizations-may-clash-but-they-surely-fall-if-robbed-of-light-from/) [James A. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-forbes/) > [The average age of the world's great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fraser-tytler/the-average-age-of-the-world-s-great-civilizations-has-been-two/) [Alexander Fraser Tytler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fraser-tytler/) > [Nearly all great civilizations that perished did so because they had crystallized, because they were incapable of adapting themselves to new conditions, new methods,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/nearly-all-great-civilizations-that-perished-did-so-because-they-had/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Historically, if you look at great civilizations, why do they crumble? Is it because of what's outside or because of something internal? It's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phylicia-rashad/historically-if-you-look-at-great-civilizations-why-do-they-crumble/) [Phylicia Rashad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phylicia-rashad/) > [All great civilisations, in their early stages, are based on success in war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/all-great-civilisations-in-their-early-stages-are-based-on-success-in/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [Success in war underpins the claims to greatness of many presidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-in-war-underpins-the-claims-to-greatness-of-many-presidents/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Robert de Balsac, ended a study on warfare with the remark that “most important of all, success in war depends on having enough money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/robert-de-balsac-ended-a-study-on-warfare-with-the-remark-that-most/) [David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/) > [ “We can’t guarantee success \[in this war\] but we can do something better. We can deserve it.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/we-can-t-guarantee-success-in-this-war-but-we-can-do-something-better/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [Success in war was the only success that counted; failure was a disgrace to be wiped out only by starting another war and winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/success-in-war-was-the-only-success-that-counted-failure-was-a/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [No one can guarantee success in war, but only deserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/no-one-can-guarantee-success-in-war-but-only-deserve-it/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“Nonviolent action on behalf of justice is no automatic forumla with promise of success: but neither is war. After all, at least half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nonviolent-action-on-behalf-of-justice-is-no-automatic-forumla-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Procrastination and fear are the enemies of success; the war is lifelong, but the battles are daily.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-dejesus/procrastination-and-fear-are-the-enemies-of-success-the-war-is/) [Noel DeJesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-dejesus/) > [“Since when is the success of war determined by your own body count?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pavlinek/since-when-is-the-success-of-war-determined-by-your-own-body-count/) Pavlinek > [Success in war depends upon the golden rule of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/success-in-war-depends-upon-the-golden-rule-of-war/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) ## More by Kenneth Clark > [To hurry through the rise and fall of a fine, full sentence is like defying the role of time in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/to-hurry-through-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-fine-full-sentence-is-like/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [All color is no color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/all-color-is-no-color/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [The nude does not simply represent the body, but relates it, by analogy, to all structures that have become part of our imaginative experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/the-nude-does-not-simply-represent-the-body-but-relates-it-by-analogy/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [Ruthless, greedy, tyrannical, disreputable they have had one principle worth all the rest, the principle of delight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/ruthless-greedy-tyrannical-disreputable-they-have-had-one-principle/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [Those who wish, in the interest of morality, to reduce Leonardo, that inexhaustible source of creative power, to a neutral or sexless agency, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/those-who-wish-in-the-interest-of-morality-to-reduce-leonardo-that/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [It is often said that Leonardo drew so well because he knew about things; it is truer to say that he knew about things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/it-is-often-said-that-leonardo-drew-so-well-because-he-knew-about/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [A lot of people you think you know you don't know until you find out you don't know then it may be too late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/a-lot-of-people-you-think-you-know-you-don-t-know-until-you-find-out/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [The dark ghettos are social, political, educational and-above all-economic colonies. 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