--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us face squarely the paradox that the…" description: "\"Let us face squarely the paradox that the world which goes to war is a world, usually genuinely desiring peace. War is the outcome, not mainly of evil ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/norman-angell-31664_anti-war_let-us-face-squarely-the-paradox-that-th_1341845.jpg" --- # Let us face squarely the paradox that the world which goes… ![“Let us face squarely the paradox that the world which goes to war is a world, usually genuinely desiring peace. War is the outcome, not mainly of evil intentions, but on the whole of good intentions which miscarry or are frustrated. It is made not usually by evil men knowing themselves to be…” quote by Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/norman-angell-31664_anti-war_let-us-face-squarely-the-paradox-that-th_1341845.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/norman-angell-31664_anti-war_let-us-face-squarely-the-paradox-that-th_1341845.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/norman-angell-31664_anti-war_let-us-face-squarely-the-paradox-that-th_1341845.jpg) > “Let us face squarely the paradox that the world which goes to war is a world, usually genuinely desiring peace. War is the outcome, not mainly of evil intentions, but on the whole of good intentions which miscarry or are frustrated. It is made not usually by evil men knowing themselves to be wrong, but is the outcome of policies pursued by good men usually passionately convinced that they are right.” [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War arises from well‑intentioned policies that fail, not solely from evil motives. **In simple terms:** Good intentions can lead to war. Key Takeaway Examine policies for unintended harm. Themes war politics human nature policy peace Mood cautious reflective Type analytical critical When to use this quote - government decisions - international negotiations - military interventions - peacebuilding Key Concepts realism unintended consequences collective responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can policymakers anticipate negative outcomes? - What safeguards prevent good intentions from causing harm? A Different Perspective Good intentions may be misguided, leading to conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anti war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-war/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-man/) [Evil Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-men/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Frustrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustrated/) [Good intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-intentions/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [No war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-war/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“How is the Lord’s warrior to react, when he sees the world taking up arms against him, when he sees all the earth, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/how-is-the-lord-s-warrior-to-react-when-he-sees-the-world-taking-up/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [Today the real test of power is not capacity to make war but capacity to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-o-hare-mccormick/today-the-real-test-of-power-is-not-capacity-to-make-war-but-capacity/) [Anne O'Hare McCormick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-o-hare-mccormick/) > [No power but Congress can declare war; but what is the value of this constitutional provision, if the President of his own authority may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/no-power-but-congress-can-declare-war-but-what-is-the-value-of-this-2/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [A man who says that no patriot should attack the Boer War until it is over is not worth answering intelligently; he is saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-man-who-says-that-no-patriot-should-attack-the-boer-war-until-it-is/) [Gilbert K. 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The human mind can invent peace with justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/war-is-an-invention-of-the-human-mind-the-human-mind-can-invent-peace/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Nothing will end war unless the peoples themselves refuse to go to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nothing-will-end-war-unless-the-peoples-themselves-refuse-to-go-to-war/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I know of no safe depository of the ultimate power of the society but the people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-know-of-no-safe-depository-of-the-ultimate-power-of-the-society-but/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [War's tragedy is that it uses man's best to do man's worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/war-s-tragedy-is-that-it-uses-man-s-best-to-do-man-s-worst/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [“It turned out to be a war which, unfortunately for Comrade Pillai, would end almost before it began. Victory was gifted to him wrapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-turned-out-to-be-a-war-which-unfortunately-for-comrade-pillai/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Shaykh Bin Bayyah described his purpose. We must declare war on war so the outcome will be peace upon peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/shaykh-bin-bayyah-described-his-purpose-we-must-declare-war-on-war-so/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We must declare war on war, so the outcome will be peace upon peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheikh-abdullah/we-must-declare-war-on-war-so-the-outcome-will-be-peace-upon-peace/) [Sheikh Abdullah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheikh-abdullah/) > [“He goes on and on about war like it is something beautiful and noble, which only means he's never seen it himself. War is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-diamant/he-goes-on-and-on-about-war-like-it-is-something-beautiful-and-noble/) [Anita Diamant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-diamant/) > [By threatening war against Iran, Iraq and North Korea in his now-famous "Axis of Evil" address, the president painted himself into a corner. Either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/by-threatening-war-against-iran-iraq-and-north-korea-in-his-now/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [“When a country goes to war, men can no longer operate free and open laboratories. The Government would like to know what you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-hunt/when-a-country-goes-to-war-men-can-no-longer-operate-free-and-open/) [Samantha Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-hunt/) > [“And I can tell you, without question, that it’s too late for any man who goes to war. Even if he lives, he’ll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-nelle-patrick/and-i-can-tell-you-without-question-that-it-s-too-late-for-any-man/) [J. Nelle Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-nelle-patrick/) ## More by Norman Angell > [It is not the facts which guide the conduct of men, but their opinions about facts; which may be entirely wrong. We can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/it-is-not-the-facts-which-guide-the-conduct-of-men-but-their-opinions/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The capitalist can only make a whole people go to war . . . by capturing the popular will. The only prophylactic against that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-capitalist-can-only-make-a-whole-people-go-to-war-by-capturing/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The obstacles to peace are in the minds and hearts of men. In the study of matter we can be honest, impartial, true. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-obstacles-to-peace-are-in-the-minds-and-hearts-of-men-in-the/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The greatest service we can do the common man is to abolish him and make all men uncommon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-greatest-service-we-can-do-the-common-man-is-to-abolish-him-and/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [It is part of the moral tragedy with which we are dealing that words like 'democracy,' 'freedom,' 'rights,' 'justice,' which have so often inspired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/it-is-part-of-the-moral-tragedy-with-which-we-are-dealing-that-words/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The vested interests-if we explain the situation by their influence-can only get the public to act as they wish by manipulating public opinion, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-vested-interests-if-we-explain-the-situation-by-their-influence/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [“War has no longer the justification that it makes for the survival of the fittest; it involves the survival of the less fit. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/war-has-no-longer-the-justification-that-it-makes-for-the-survival-of/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [I joined the Labour Party not because it was Left Wing, but because it was definitely internationalists and would seem to be the group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/i-joined-the-labour-party-not-because-it-was-left-wing-but-because-it/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [God has made Canada one of those nations which cannot be conquered and cannot be destroyed, except by itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/god-has-made-canada-one-of-those-nations-which-cannot-be-conquered/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [What could be a more Canadian way to indulge in the national preoccupation with perceptions - honest, hilarious, huffy or high-minded - of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/what-could-be-a-more-canadian-way-to-indulge-in-the-national/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [Everywhere I go I see increasing evidence of people swirling about in a human cesspit of their own making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/everywhere-i-go-i-see-increasing-evidence-of-people-swirling-about-in/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [What is needed is the development in men of that particular type of skill which will enable them to make social use of knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/what-is-needed-is-the-development-in-men-of-that-particular-type-of/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The evil was not in either ideal; the evil was in the attempt to impose that ideal by force upon others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-evil-was-not-in-either-ideal-the-evil-was-in-the-attempt-to/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [The Council of the Union of Democratic Control re-affirms its unshaken conviction that a lasting settlement cannot be secured by a peace based upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/the-council-of-the-union-of-democratic-control-re-affirms-its/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) > [Every nation sincerely desires peace; and all nations pursue courses which if persisted in, must make peace impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-angell/every-nation-sincerely-desires-peace-and-all-nations-pursue-courses/) [Norman Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) [Explore all 16 Norman Angell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-angell/) ## More Anti war quotes > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... 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