--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us assume that the ideal were…" description: "\"Let us assume that the ideal were reached; let us imagine a state of international life in which the danger of war no longer exists. Then no one would ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/323/ludwig-quidde-24582_armament_let-us-assume-that-the-ideal-were-reache_1973490.jpg" --- # Let us assume that the ideal were reached; let us imagine… ![“Let us assume that the ideal were reached; let us imagine a state of international life in which the danger of war no longer exists. Then no one would dare to demand a penny for obviously completely superfluous armaments.” quote by Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/323/ludwig-quidde-24582_armament_let-us-assume-that-the-ideal-were-reache_1973490.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/323/ludwig-quidde-24582_armament_let-us-assume-that-the-ideal-were-reache_1973490.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/323/ludwig-quidde-24582_armament_let-us-assume-that-the-ideal-were-reache_1973490.jpg) > “Let us assume that the ideal were reached; let us imagine a state of international life in which the danger of war no longer exists. Then no one would dare to demand a penny for obviously completely superfluous armaments.” [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Envisions a world where war is obsolete, making weapons unnecessary and expensive. **In simple terms:** A war‑free world would render arms pointless. Key Takeaway Promote peace, reduce armament spending. Themes peace war economics politics Mood hopeful reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy debates - defense budgeting - peace activism - education curricula Key Concepts disarmament idealism international relations Questions to Reflect On - What incentives could sustain global disarmament? - How to address security concerns without arms? A Different Perspective Achieving total peace may be unrealistic given human conflict tendencies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armament/) [Armaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armaments-1329223/) [Assume Ideal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assume-ideal-3328033/) [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Ideal Reached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideal-reached-3328034/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [International](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international/) [Let Assume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-assume-2109433/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pennies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pennies/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Superfluous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superfluous/) [Superfluous Armaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superfluous-armaments-3328032/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [It will be sufficient to point to the enormous burdens which armaments place on the economic, social, and intellectual resources of a nation, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/it-will-be-sufficient-to-point-to-the-enormous-burdens-which/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [The present level of armaments could be taken as the starting point. It could be stipulated in an international treaty that these armaments should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/the-present-level-of-armaments-could-be-taken-as-the-starting-point/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Limitation of armaments in itself is economically and financially important quite apart from security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/limitation-of-armaments-in-itself-is-economically-and-financially/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Armaments are necessary - or are maintained on the pretext of necessity - because of a real or an imagined danger of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/armaments-are-necessary-or-are-maintained-on-the-pretext-of-necessity/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [The moral is obvious: it is that great armaments lead inevitably to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-moral-is-obvious-it-is-that-great-armaments-lead-inevitably-to-war/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the initiative that we issued at the beginning of year 2013 we said every party with no exceptions as long as they give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/in-the-initiative-that-we-issued-at-the-beginning-of-year-2013-we/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [For India to enter into the race for armaments is to court suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/for-india-to-enter-into-the-race-for-armaments-is-to-court-suicide/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Man invents the most inhuman armaments to assault others so like himself that uniforms are needed to distinguish between friend and foe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thor-heyerdahl/man-invents-the-most-inhuman-armaments-to-assault-others-so-like/) [Thor Heyerdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thor-heyerdahl/) > [“There is a limit where all armaments ain't strong enough to secure current world economic system and practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/there-is-a-limit-where-all-armaments-ain-t-strong-enough-to-secure/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Militarism is basically a way of thinking, a certain interpretation of the function of the state; this manner of thinking is, moreover, revealed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-lous-lange/militarism-is-basically-a-way-of-thinking-a-certain-interpretation-of/) [Christian Lous Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-lous-lange/) > [I propose getting rid of conventional armaments and replacing them with reasonably priced hydrogen bombs that will be distributed equally throughout the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idi-amin/i-propose-getting-rid-of-conventional-armaments-and-replacing-them/) [Idi Amin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idi-amin/) > [Do not fear or misunderstand when the Government say they are looking to our defences. I give you my word that there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-baldwin/do-not-fear-or-misunderstand-when-the-government-say-they-are-looking/) [Stanley Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-baldwin/) > [Let's presume that a country or army has this weapon ; this kind of armaments cannot be used by infantry for example or by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/let-s-presume-that-a-country-or-army-has-this-weapon-this-kind-of/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [I mean, our disaster in Libya also unleashed enormous amounts of armaments. We are the world's leading arms dealer, arming all sides everywhere. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-mean-our-disaster-in-libya-also-unleashed-enormous-amounts-of/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [It is idle to say that nations can struggle to outdo each other in building armaments and never use them. History demonstrates the contrary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-kellogg/it-is-idle-to-say-that-nations-can-struggle-to-outdo-each-other-in/) [Frank B. Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-kellogg/) ## More by Ludwig Quidde > [In life, particularly in public life, psychology is more powerful than logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/in-life-particularly-in-public-life-psychology-is-more-powerful-than/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Disarmament or limitation of armaments, which depends on the progress made on security, also contributes to the maintenance of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/disarmament-or-limitation-of-armaments-which-depends-on-the-progress/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Thus, if armaments were curtailed without a secure peace and all countries disarmed proportionately, military security would have been in no way affected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/thus-if-armaments-were-curtailed-without-a-secure-peace-and-all/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Armaments are necessary - or are maintained on the pretext of necessity - because of a real or an imagined danger of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/armaments-are-necessary-or-are-maintained-on-the-pretext-of-necessity/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [I am convinced that when the history of international law comes to be written centuries hence, it will be divided into two periods: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/i-am-convinced-that-when-the-history-of-international-law-comes-to-be/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [We pacifists have not ceased to point to the grave danger of armaments and to insist on their curtailment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/we-pacifists-have-not-ceased-to-point-to-the-grave-danger-of/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Limitation of armaments in itself is economically and financially important quite apart from security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/limitation-of-armaments-in-itself-is-economically-and-financially/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [The popular, and one may say naive, idea is that peace can be secured by disarmament and that disarmament must therefore precede the attainment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/the-popular-and-one-may-say-naive-idea-is-that-peace-can-be-secured/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Every success in limiting armaments is a sign that the will to achieve mutual understanding exists, and every such success thus supports the fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/every-success-in-limiting-armaments-is-a-sign-that-the-will-to/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [The present level of armaments could be taken as the starting point. It could be stipulated in an international treaty that these armaments should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/the-present-level-of-armaments-could-be-taken-as-the-starting-point/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [So long as peace is not attained by law (so argue the advocates of armaments) the military protection of a country must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/so-long-as-peace-is-not-attained-by-law-so-argue-the-advocates-of/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Among pacifists it was above all the English who always insisted on the importance of disarmament. They said that the man in the street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/among-pacifists-it-was-above-all-the-english-who-always-insisted-on/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [When distrust exists between governments, when there is a danger of war, they will not be willing to disarm even when logic indicates that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/when-distrust-exists-between-governments-when-there-is-a-danger-of/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Even a total and universal disarmament does not guarantee the maintenance of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/even-a-total-and-universal-disarmament-does-not-guarantee-the/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Some pacifists have carried the sound idea of the prime importance of security too far, to the point of declaring that any consideration of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/some-pacifists-have-carried-the-sound-idea-of-the-prime-importance-of/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) [Explore all 24 Ludwig Quidde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) ## More Armament quotes > [These are the men who, without virtue, labour, or hazard, are growing rich, as their country is impoverished; they rejoice, when obstinacy or ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/these-are-the-men-who-without-virtue-labour-or-hazard-are-growing/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That a modern battleship of 48,000 tons would have to defend itself against wood and fabric biplanes with its main armament was a salutary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hough/that-a-modern-battleship-of-48-000-tons-would-have-to-defend-itself/) [Richard Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hough/) > [What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-chirac/what-is-at-stake-is-how-to-answer-the-potential-threat-iraq/) [Jacques Chirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-chirac/) > [For ISIS, the answer is to cut off their food, their water, their armaments, you know, and their funding. I don't mean literally their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/for-isis-the-answer-is-to-cut-off-their-food-their-water-their/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [A people living under the perpetual menace of war and invasion is very easy to govern. It demands no social reform. It does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/a-people-living-under-the-perpetual-menace-of-war-and-invasion-is/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [One of the primary necessities of the world for the maintenance of peace is the elimination of the frictions which arise from competitive armament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/one-of-the-primary-necessities-of-the-world-for-the-maintenance-of/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [This is what I do know: A lie, however well-intended, can't prepare you for reality or change the world... To tell the truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/this-is-what-i-do-know-a-lie-however-well-intended-can-t-prepare-you/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [It is idle to say that nations can struggle to outdo each other in building armaments and never use them. History demonstrates the contrary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-kellogg/it-is-idle-to-say-that-nations-can-struggle-to-outdo-each-other-in/) [Frank B. Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-kellogg/) > [For India to enter into the race for armaments is to court suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/for-india-to-enter-into-the-race-for-armaments-is-to-court-suicide/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Every time we hold our tongues instead of returning the sharp retort, show patience with another's faults, show a little more love and kindness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-foster/every-time-we-hold-our-tongues-instead-of-returning-the-sharp-retort/) [Connie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-foster/) > [Do not fear or misunderstand when the Government say they are looking to our defences. I give you my word that there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-baldwin/do-not-fear-or-misunderstand-when-the-government-say-they-are-looking/) [Stanley Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-baldwin/) > [A program of "disarmament," while imperialist antagonisms survive, is the most pernicious of fictions. Even if it were realized by way of general agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/a-program-of-disarmament-while-imperialist-antagonisms-survive-is-the/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [In different countries the basis of resistance takes different forms, but it comes chiefly from the conservative groups. Hence it becomes increasingly difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/in-different-countries-the-basis-of-resistance-takes-different-forms/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [We are firmly convinced, and we act on that conviction, that with nations as with individuals our interests soundly calculated will ever be found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-are-firmly-convinced-and-we-act-on-that-conviction-that-with/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Disarmament or limitation of armaments, which depends on the progress made on security, also contributes to the maintenance of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/disarmament-or-limitation-of-armaments-which-depends-on-the-progress/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) [Browse all 123 Armament quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armament/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let us assume that the ideal were reached; let us imagine a state of international life in which the danger of war no longer exists. 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