Last Friday, the Mises Institute published a special edition of their daily article containing nothing else but quotes by von Mises on the subject of war.
The quotes are hard to disagree with, apart from their mistaken application to the current situation. No distinction is made between using war as a means of conquest, expanding one’s power and using war as a defensive measure, protecting one’s security, freedom etc. For those who believe the US and the UK are engaged in the former, I shall leave them to their struggle against the neo-imperialists…
For the rest, I retaliate with a small collection of quotes that make such a distinction:
We make war that we may live in peace.
– AristotleI must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.
– John AdamsWar is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.
– John Stuart MillThat all war is physically frightful is obvious; but if that were a moral verdict, there would be no difference between a torturer and a surgeon.
– G.K. ChestertonI cannot see how we can literally end War unless we can end Will. I cannot think that war will ever be utterly impossible; and I say so not because I am what these people call a militarist, but rather because I am a revolutionist. Absolutely to forbid fighting is to forbid what our fathers called “the sacred right of insurrection.” Against some decisions no self-respecting men can be prevented from appealing to fortune and to death.
– G.K. Chesterton
OK, this is not going to win the war, but it will have to do while we are waiting for our logins for The Command Post warblog!
Don’t forget this one, from Douglas Jerrold:
“We love peace, but not peace at any price. There is a peace more destructive of the manhood of living man, than war is destructive of his body. Chains are worse than bayonets.”
Or this one, from Carey McWilliams:
“There is no kind of peace which may be purchased on the bargain counter.”
Or this one, from a certain Patrick Henry:
“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!”
Two Questions:
What has happened to Merde in France? All that’s left at the site is a link to an ‘archive’ filled with gibberish text.
And: Is this true? A friend of mine who had a job interview to teach high-school level courses in London has just had her interview cancelled — apparently they are no longer hiring American teachers in Britain?
I think the G.K. Chesterton quotes in particular are very apt.
Mises’ quotes underline the whole problems of children’s mind disguised in an adult body, constantly in need suggestion and guidance without distinction.
My favorite is the critic of the left, Orwell, who so clearly identified the tactics of the leftists and yet is endlessly misquoted by them…
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”
The left is to egocentric and arrogant to even realize Animal Farm and 1984 was about Communism=them.
Mises was no pacifist, of course. He was far too bright.
The way Lew Rockwell is dragging the reputation of my favorite economist through the mud lately is really unforgivable. Libertarian’s ability to righteously self-destruct never ceases to amaze.
Here’s another good one. I have no idea who said it, I just pulled out of a forum somewhere. But’s good nonetheless:
“You know you live in interesting times when the best rapper in the world is white, the best golfer in the world is black, the Americas Cup is held by landlocked Sweden, the French are accusing the Americans of arrogance, and Germany is steadfastly refusing to go to war.”