--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a fundamental principle. People…" description: "\"There is a fundamental principle. People have the right to defend their country from foreign occupiers, and people have the right to defend their count..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/norman-finkelstein-8854_country_there-is-a-fundamental-principle-people_94501.png" --- # There is a fundamental principle. People have the right to… ![“There is a fundamental principle. People have the right to defend their country from foreign occupiers, and people have the right to defend their country from invaders who are destroying their country. That to me is a very basic, elementary, and uncomplicated question.” quote by Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/norman-finkelstein-8854_country_there-is-a-fundamental-principle-people_94501.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/norman-finkelstein-8854_country_there-is-a-fundamental-principle-people_94501.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/norman-finkelstein-8854_country_there-is-a-fundamental-principle-people_94501.png) > “There is a fundamental principle. People have the right to defend their country from foreign occupiers, and people have the right to defend their country from invaders who are destroying their country. That to me is a very basic, elementary, and uncomplicated question.” [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement asserts that defending one's nation against external threats is a fundamental, uncomplicated right, framing it as a basic moral principle. **In simple terms:** Defending a country is a basic right. Key Takeaway National defense is an elementary human entitlement. Themes rights defense sovereignty morality politics Mood assertive principled determined Type political argumentative When to use this quote - policy debates - educational curricula - activist campaigns - legal analyses Key Concepts political theory human rights Practical Applications - public policy papers - human rights advocacy Questions to Reflect On - What defines a 'basic' right in international law? - How do we balance defense with diplomatic solutions? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Defend Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-country/) [Destroying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroying/) [Foreign Occupiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-occupiers-1164371/) [Fundamental principle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-principle/) [Fundamental principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-principles/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [Invaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invaders/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Principle People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-people-658556/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Right Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-defend-250979/) [Uncomplicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomplicated/) ## Related quotes > [People have the right to defend their country from foreign occupiers, and people have the right to defend their country from invaders who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/people-have-the-right-to-defend-their-country-from-foreign-occupiers/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [It's our right to defend our country against any kind of invasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/it-s-our-right-to-defend-our-country-against-any-kind-of-invasion/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [It is a solid business principle that people who enjoy what they do are better at what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-winget/it-is-a-solid-business-principle-that-people-who-enjoy-what-they-do/) [Larry Winget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-winget/) > [“In life, the greater the principle, the less people there are who will follow it. The higher the calling, the fewer the followers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/in-life-the-greater-the-principle-the-less-people-there-are-who-will/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [We must ever mandate the principle that the people of this continent alone have the right to decide their own destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-polk/we-must-ever-mandate-the-principle-that-the-people-of-this-continent/) [James K. Polk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-polk/) > [“In the Human society, we don’t have sticks. Here, an ideal leader is the person who develops the group and encourages them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-peters/in-the-human-society-we-don-t-have-sticks-here-an-ideal-leader-is-the/) [Steve Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-peters/) > [“As a general principle, people feel more responsible for their actions than they do for their inactions. 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It works on the principle that- 'People are more interested in others life than their own-!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-is-facebook-such-a-hit-it-works-on-the-principle-that-people-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Master Mind principle: Two or more people actively engaged in the pursuit of a definite purpose with a positive mental attitude, constitute an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-master-mind-principle-two-or-more-people-actively-engaged-in-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [What is the structure of government that will best guard against the precipitate counsels and factious combinations for unjust purposes, without a sacrifice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/what-is-the-structure-of-government-that-will-best-guard-against-the/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [The Fundamental Principle that governs - or ought to govern -human affairs if we wish to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, or pointless utopias, is negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-fundamental-principle-that-governs-or-ought-to-govern-human/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## More by Norman Finkelstein > [The whole purpose of annual reviews is to keep you abreast of whether or not you are fulfilling the requirements of tenure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/the-whole-purpose-of-annual-reviews-is-to-keep-you-abreast-of-whether/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [Public opinion in the United States has shifted significantly, not just outside but also within the Jewish community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/public-opinion-in-the-united-states-has-shifted-significantly-not/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [They used to say Palestinians fight like heroes, now they say heroes fight like Palestinians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/they-used-to-say-palestinians-fight-like-heroes-now-they-say-heroes/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [Every year, the United Nations General Assembly votes on a resolution entitled 'Peaceful resolution of the Palestine conflict.' 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