--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Patriotism is the principle that will…" description: "\"Patriotism is the principle that will justify the training of wholesale murderers.\" — Leo Tolstoy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/leo-tolstoy-55_fitness_patriotism-is-the-principle-that-will-ju_2224258.png" --- # Patriotism is the principle that will justify the training… ![“Patriotism is the principle that will justify the training of wholesale murderers.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/leo-tolstoy-55_fitness_patriotism-is-the-principle-that-will-ju_2224258.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/leo-tolstoy-55_fitness_patriotism-is-the-principle-that-will-ju_2224258.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/leo-tolstoy-55_fitness_patriotism-is-the-principle-that-will-ju_2224258.png) > “Patriotism is the principle that will justify the training of wholesale murderers.” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Patriotism can be twisted to excuse extreme violence against perceived enemies. **In simple terms:** Patriotism can justify violence. Key Takeaway Question moral justifications of war. Themes morality politics violence Mood somber critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - military recruitment - political rhetoric - propaganda - human rights debates Key Concepts nationalism ethical relativism Questions to Reflect On - When does love for country become harmful? - How can societies balance pride and peace? A Different Perspective Patriotism also inspires solidarity and protection of community. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify/) [Murderer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murderer/) [Murderers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murderers/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Patriotism Principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism-principle-461708/) [Principle Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-justify-4977759/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Wholesale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholesale/) [Wholesale Murderers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholesale-murderers-4977758/) ## Related quotes > [Leo Tolstoy, the greatest anti-patriot of our time, defines patriotism as the principle that will justify the training of wholesale murderers; a trade that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/leo-tolstoy-the-greatest-anti-patriot-of-our-time-defines-patriotism/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Leo Tolstoy ... defines patriotism as the principle that will justify the training of wholesale murderers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/leo-tolstoy-defines-patriotism-as-the-principle-that-will-justify-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“What, then, is patriotism? “Patriotism, sir, is the last resort of scoundrels,” said Dr. Johnson. Leo Tolstoy, the greatest anti-patriot of our times, defines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/what-then-is-patriotism-patriotism-sir-is-the-last-resort-of/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Those who believe in their truth -- the only ones whose imprint is retained by the memory of men -- leave the earth behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/those-who-believe-in-their-truth-the-only-ones-whose-imprint-is/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [We must kill them in war, just because they live beyond the river. 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There weren't any arguments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hill/if-you-re-part-of-a-crew-nobody-ever-tells-you-that-they-re-going-to/) [Henry Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hill/) > [I committed the first crime by creating men as mortals. After that, what more could you do, you the murderers? Come on; they already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-committed-the-first-crime-by-creating-men-as-mortals-after-that/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [God remains dead. And we have killed him. Yet his shadow still looms. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/god-remains-dead-and-we-have-killed-him-yet-his-shadow-still-looms/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The murderers are loose! They search the world All through the night, oh God, all through the night! To find the fire kindled in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrud-kolmar/the-murderers-are-loose-they-search-the-world-all-through-the-night/) [Gertrud Kolmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrud-kolmar/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! 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She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. 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