--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History teaches that war begins when…" description: "\"History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap.\" — Ronald Reagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/ronald-reagan-119_aggression_history-teaches-that-war-begins-when-gov_293943.jpg" --- # History teaches that war begins when governments believe… ![“History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/ronald-reagan-119_aggression_history-teaches-that-war-begins-when-gov_293943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/ronald-reagan-119_aggression_history-teaches-that-war-begins-when-gov_293943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba7/ronald-reagan-119_aggression_history-teaches-that-war-begins-when-gov_293943.jpg) > “History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap.” [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War starts when leaders view conflict as cheap, ignoring long‑term costs. **In simple terms:** Cheap aggression leads to war. Key Takeaway Consider true costs. Themes war politics economics Mood serious cautious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy debates - military planning - diplomatic negotiations Key Concepts cost‑benefit analysis deterrence Questions to Reflect On - What factors make aggression seem cheap? - How can leaders be held accountable? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitics may not fit simple cost models. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aggression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [History teaches that wars begin when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap. 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If developments like the Industrial revolution, which began in England, and the gifts of science and technology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-have-not-inherited-an-easy-world-if-developments-like-the/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [If history teaches anything, it teaches that self-delusion in the face of unpleasant facts is folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/if-history-teaches-anything-it-teaches-that-self-delusion-in-the-face/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“It will be a battle, then. A siege. A hundred-thousand Ink-borne arrows, flying forth from my flaming pen to assault the walls of tyrannical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-g-night/it-will-be-a-battle-then-a-siege-a-hundred-thousand-ink-borne-arrows/) [S.G. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/twenty-two-hours-and-our-war-begins-our-war-of-limbs-and-lips-and/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [So a war begins. Into a peace-time life, comes an announcement, a threat. A bomb drops somewhere, potential traitors are whisked off quietly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/so-a-war-begins-into-a-peace-time-life-comes-an-announcement-a-threat/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“The irony is that each new war begins in hope: hope of restoring lost honor, hope of redressing injustices and reclaiming tarnished glory, hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/the-irony-is-that-each-new-war-begins-in-hope-hope-of-restoring-lost/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [When war begins, then hell openeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/when-war-begins-then-hell-openeth/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [The trouble is that once America goes off to war, it can't very well return without having fought one. If it doesn't find its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-trouble-is-that-once-america-goes-off-to-war-it-can-t-very-well/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More by Ronald Reagan > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More Aggression quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I used to fight with hate. 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You will be able to find the mystery of life only if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/that-which-is-of-great-value-cannot-be-attained-through-aggression/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. 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My clients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-peterson/i-really-like-battle-ropes-they-re-so-versatile-you-can-get-a/) [Gunnar Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-peterson/) > [ Now they \[the Powers\] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/empress-dowager-cixi/now-they-the-powers-have-started-the-aggression-and-the-extinction-of/) Empress Dowager Cixi > [I'm not going to appeal to violence or aggression - of course not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/i-m-not-going-to-appeal-to-violence-or-aggression-of-course-not/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [This is passive-aggression in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/this-is-passive-aggression-in-action/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [When a child hits a child, we call it aggression. 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