Quotation by

Reinhold Niebuhr

Democracies are indeed slow to make war, but once embarked upon a martial venture are equally slow to make peace and reluctant to make a tolerable, rather than a vindictive, peace.

Reinhold Niebuhr

Peace

Understanding this quote AI Analysis

Democracies take a long time to decide to go to war because of careful debate and public opinion, but once they do, they hesitate to end the conflict quickly. They tend to demand harsh terms rather than settling for a fair and reasonable peace.

More by this author

All quotes by Reinhold Niebuhr →

More quotes about Peace

See all →

When I sing, I have a sense of peace, I feel like my brain turns off, and I become the core person of who I am - the essence of me. I feel connected to whatever is out there. It's almost like I leave…

The Israeli people must be free to live in peace and security.

As they say, one thing led to another, and, ultimately, the British and Irish governments asked me to serve as chairman of the peace negotiations, which ironically began six years ago this week.

On Memorial Day, I don't want to only remember the combatants. There were also those who came out of the trenches as writers and poets, who started preaching peace, men and women who have made this w…

Treaties of peace, made after war, are entrusted to individuals to negotiate and carry out.

I therefore declare, that if you wish any remission of the taxation which falls upon the homes of the people of England and Wales, you can only find it by reducing the great military establishments, …