21 Quotes by Bertrand De Jouvenel

A people among whom custom is altogether sovereign endures the despotism of the dead.

No century has been more concerned than ours to do away with war: it has proved signally unsuccessful. All too little attention has been given to the phenomenon that internal politics have become increasingly more warlike.

The entire stock of relationships which suited in war – militiae – was regarded as inadmissible and improper in peace – domi. We have the measure of how right the Romans were in this respect in the experience of the intellectual and moral impoverishment brought about by total mobilisation.