---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can't win a war, but we can win an…"
description: "\"We can't win a war, but we can win an election.\" — Nelson Mandela"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/nelson-mandela-248_can-t-win_we-can-t-win-a-war-but-we-can-win-an-ele_531604.jpg"
---

#  We can't win a war, but we can win an election.

![“We can't win a war, but we can win an election.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/nelson-mandela-248_can-t-win_we-can-t-win-a-war-but-we-can-win-an-ele_531604.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/nelson-mandela-248_can-t-win_we-can-t-win-a-war-but-we-can-win-an-ele_531604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/nelson-mandela-248_can-t-win_we-can-t-win-a-war-but-we-can-win-an-ele_531604.jpg)

> “We can't win a war, but we can win an election.”

[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Winning a war is hard, but influencing public opinion through elections is achievable.

**In simple terms:** Elections can be won even if war cannot.

Key Takeaway

Focus on political engagement.

Themes

politics strategy leadership

Mood

determined hopeful

Type

political inspirational

When to use this quote

- elections
- public policy
- peacebuilding
- social change

Key Concepts

history campaigning

Questions to Reflect On

- How can elections contribute to lasting peace?
- What role does civic participation play in conflict zones?

A Different Perspective

Elections may not address underlying conflicts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Can't win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-t-win/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Win Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-election/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/)

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> [I always lose the election in the polls, and I always win it on election day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/i-always-lose-the-election-in-the-polls-and-i-always-win-it-on/)

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> [In the American political system, you're only allowed to have real ideas if it's absolutely guaranteed that you can't win an election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-the-american-political-system-you-re-only-allowed-to-have-real/)

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> [Between trying to impeach Bill Clinton, Florida 2000, and the recall in California, I'm beginning to think that Republicans will do anything to win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/between-trying-to-impeach-bill-clinton-florida-2000-and-the-recall-in/)

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[Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/)

> [Being a little older is not going to win election. Being a little younger might, especially if the older candidates, Hillary Clinton included, can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/being-a-little-older-is-not-going-to-win-election-being-a-little/)

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> [People are already talking about the next presidential election. There's stories all over about who might run. At a recent speech, a prominent Democrat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/people-are-already-talking-about-the-next-presidential-election-there/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/)

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> [I hate games I can't win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/i-hate-games-i-can-t-win/)

[Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/)

> [We can't win the struggle for high standards if we just talk a good game . . . we've got to play a good game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-can-t-win-the-struggle-for-high-standards-if-we-just-talk-a-good/)

[Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/)

> [Well you can't win the lottery if you don't have a ticket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/well-you-can-t-win-the-lottery-if-you-don-t-have-a-ticket/)

[Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/)

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[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/)

[Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/)

## More by Nelson Mandela

> [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/)

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[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

> [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/)

[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

> [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/)

[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

> [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/)

[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

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[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

[Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

## More Can't win quotes

> [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/)

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[Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/)

> [Self-esteem can’t win you a race if you’re not in shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-zamperini/self-esteem-can-t-win-you-a-race-if-you-re-not-in-shape/)

[Louis Zamperini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-zamperini/)

> [Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet you can't win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/certainly-the-game-is-rigged-don-t-let-that-stop-you-if-you-don-t-bet/)

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> [You can't win for losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/you-can-t-win-for-losing/)

[Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/)

> [Ball so hard that you can't win it. So much money bank can't fit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/ball-so-hard-that-you-can-t-win-it-so-much-money-bank-can-t-fit-it/)

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[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [All my life, the naysayers have told me that I can't win because I'm a progressive... because I'm a woman... even because I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-baldwin/all-my-life-the-naysayers-have-told-me-that-i-can-t-win-because-i-m-a/)

[Tammy Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-baldwin/)

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