---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes you must live in a violent…"
description: "\"Sometimes you must live in a violent world in order to get greater justice.\" — Pierre Trudeau"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/pierre-trudeau-3495_greater_sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-wor_2991362.png"
---

#  Sometimes you must live in a violent world in order to get…

![“Sometimes you must live in a violent world in order to get greater justice.” quote by Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/pierre-trudeau-3495_greater_sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-wor_2991362.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/pierre-trudeau-3495_greater_sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-wor_2991362.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/pierre-trudeau-3495_greater_sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-wor_2991362.png)

> “Sometimes you must live in a violent world in order to get greater justice.”

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

## About This Quote

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

Violence may be necessary to achieve higher justice, but it carries moral risk.

**In simple terms:** Violence can serve justice, but is risky.

Key Takeaway

Weigh moral costs.

Themes

justice violence ethics

Mood

serious thoughtful

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- social movements
- legal reform
- self‑defense

Key Concepts

political theory human rights philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- When is violence justified?
- What alternatives exist?

A Different Perspective

Violence can perpetuate cycles of harm.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Greater Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater-justice-4702149/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Live Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-violent-1444052/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) [Violent World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent-world-409164/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [Violence - look, we live in a violent world, man. This country was founded on violence. Who's kidding who?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/violence-look-we-live-in-a-violent-world-man-this-country-was-founded/)

[Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/)

> [I'm not any more sexist, racist or violent than the world around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bushwick-bill/i-m-not-any-more-sexist-racist-or-violent-than-the-world-around-me/)

[Bushwick Bill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bushwick-bill/)

> [The practice of violence, like all action, changes the world, but the most probable change is a more violent world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/the-practice-of-violence-like-all-action-changes-the-world-but-the/)

[Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/)

> [Trusting that you will some time or other do me greater justice than you can do now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/trusting-that-you-will-some-time-or-other-do-me-greater-justice-than/)

[Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/)

> [“For us mortals, love is greater than justice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-dickerson/for-us-mortals-love-is-greater-than-justice/)

[Melanie Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-dickerson/)

> [Violent cities, people who live in violent cities, find a way - as New Yorkers did 30 or 40 years ago - they find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/violent-cities-people-who-live-in-violent-cities-find-a-way-as-new/)

[Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/)

> [“I head someone say once that passionate people live violent lives. At the time I didn't really get it but if what they meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kopelman/i-head-someone-say-once-that-passionate-people-live-violent-lives-at/)

[Jay Kopelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kopelman/)

> [We really are creatures of a violent world, biologically speaking - watching violence and learning about it is one of our cognitive drives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/we-really-are-creatures-of-a-violent-world-biologically-speaking/)

[Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/)

> [A non-violent world has roots in a non-violent diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-kasem/a-non-violent-world-has-roots-in-a-non-violent-diet/)

[Casey Kasem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-kasem/)

> [The weight of the old world is stifling, and trying to shovel its weight off your life is tiring just to think about. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-weight-of-the-old-world-is-stifling-and-trying-to-shovel-its/)

[Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/)

> [Lovers find secret places inside this violent world where they make transactions with beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/lovers-find-secret-places-inside-this-violent-world-where-they-make/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [It's a violent world we live in. I don't agree with trying to hide that or cover it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/it-s-a-violent-world-we-live-in-i-don-t-agree-with-trying-to-hide/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [There is no greater injustice than to wring your profits from the sweat of another man's brow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/there-is-no-greater-injustice-than-to-wring-your-profits-from-the/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [To all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-all-people-of-good-will-who-are-working-for-social-justice-never/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Although it may be difficult in theory to know what is just and equal, the practical difficulty of inducing those to forbear who can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/although-it-may-be-difficult-in-theory-to-know-what-is-just-and-equal/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

## More by Pierre Trudeau

> [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [Obviously, the state's responsibility should be to legislate rules for a well-ordered society. It has no right or duty to creep into the bedrooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/obviously-the-state-s-responsibility-should-be-to-legislate-rules-for/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [In specific terms I don't think I could make any suggestions, but in general terms I believe that it is because Canadians have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/in-specific-terms-i-don-t-think-i-could-make-any-suggestions-but-in/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [I think that religions must seek peace and love and therefore be pacifist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-that-religions-must-seek-peace-and-love-and-therefore-be/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [Freedom can flow from order. That is not to say that freedom always flows from order because you can have a totalitarian order and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/freedom-can-flow-from-order-that-is-not-to-say-that-freedom-always/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [Every time I have a political rally I meet some people who say, "I need a job."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/every-time-i-have-a-political-rally-i-meet-some-people-who-say-i-need/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [I'm far from believing that we've solved the problem of violence in the 20th century and that's why I'm not discouraged that we still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-m-far-from-believing-that-we-ve-solved-the-problem-of-violence-in/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [The Jesuits were good educators, exceptional teachers. In an era and in a society where freedom of speech was not held in high regard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-jesuits-were-good-educators-exceptional-teachers-in-an-era-and-in/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [Americans should never underestimate the constant pressure on Canada which the mere presence of the United States has produced. We're different people from you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/americans-should-never-underestimate-the-constant-pressure-on-canada/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [I must say that "Give Peace a Chance" has always seemed to me to be sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-must-say-that-give-peace-a-chance-has-always-seemed-to-me-to-be/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation. What's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/there-s-no-place-for-the-state-in-the-bedrooms-of-the-nation-what-s/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [I think all of us, politicians and churchmen, should do our utmost to change the society so that there would be no need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-all-of-us-politicians-and-churchmen-should-do-our-utmost-to/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [The Canadian community must invest, for the defence and better appreciation of the French language, as much time, energy, and money as are required…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-canadian-community-must-invest-for-the-defence-and-better/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

> [Perhaps the rediscovery of our humanity, and the potential of the human spirit which we have read about in legends of older civilizations, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/perhaps-the-rediscovery-of-our-humanity-and-the-potential-of-the/)

[Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

[Explore all 129 Pierre Trudeau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/)

## More Greater quotes

> [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/)

[St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/)

> [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/)

[Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/)

> [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/)

[William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/)

> [When you stop a dictator, there are always risks. But there are greater risks in not stopping a dictator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-you-stop-a-dictator-there-are-always-risks-but-there-are-greater/)

[Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/)

> [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/)

[James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/)

> [The unexpressed is always of greater value than the expressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zona-gale/the-unexpressed-is-always-of-greater-value-than-the-expressed/)

[Zona Gale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zona-gale/)

> [Life takes hold of us with strong hands and makes us greater than we thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-canfield-fisher/life-takes-hold-of-us-with-strong-hands-and-makes-us-greater-than-we/)

[Dorothy Canfield Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-canfield-fisher/)

> [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/)

[Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/)

> [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/)

[Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/)

> [No greater victory can be won by citizens or soldiers than to transform temporary foes into permanent friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/no-greater-victory-can-be-won-by-citizens-or-soldiers-than-to/)

[William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/)

> [My identity shifted when I got into # recovery . That's who I am now, and it actually gives me greater pleasure to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/my-identity-shifted-when-i-got-into-recovery-that-s-who-i-am-now-and/)

[Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/)

> [What greater insult can you give God than to take your own life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thibodeau/what-greater-insult-can-you-give-god-than-to-take-your-own-life/)

[David Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thibodeau/)

[Browse all 5,587 Greater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Sometimes you must live in a violent world in order to get greater justice.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Pierre Trudeau"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-world-in-order-to-get-greater/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Greater"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-world-in-order-to-get-greater/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/pierre-trudeau-3495_greater_sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-wor_2991362.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/pierre-trudeau-3495_greater_sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-wor_2991362.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d4/pierre-trudeau-3495_greater_sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-wor_2991362.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes you must live in a violent world in order to get greater justice.” — Pierre Trudeau",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Pierre Trudeau",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Sometimes you must live in a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-world-in-order-to-get-greater/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/sometimes-you-must-live-in-a-violent-world-in-order-to-get-greater/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
