The Great Illusion: A Study of the Relation of Military Power in Nations to Their Economic and Social AdvantageW. Heinemann, 1911 - 336 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
advantage aggression American Anglo-Saxon armaments army bank become Britain British Empire cent chapter citizens civilization co-operation Cobdenite Colonies commercial condition conflict conquered conqueror conquest Daily Mail defence depends domination Dreadnoughts economic Empire England English Englishmen Europe European fact factor fight foreign France Frederic Harrison French futile German German Empire Germany's gold Holland Homer Lea hostility human nature hundred illusion increased indemnity individual industrial interest involved kill less live London man's markets material matter means ment military millions modern moral motive nation navy optical illusion organism pacifist party peace physical force political population prosperity psychological pugnacity qualities question quoted race result rival rivalry Russian secure self-governing Colonies Sidney Low social soldier South Africa Spain struggle struggle-for-life survival Switzerland territory thing thousand tion to-day trade Transvaal tribute true warfare warlike wealth whole
Popular passages
Page 212 - We do not admire the man of timid peace. We admire the man who embodies victorious effort ; the man who never wrongs his neighbor ; who is prompt to help a friend ; but who has those virile qualities necessary to win in the stern strife of actual life.
Page 163 - The weakness of so much merely negative criticism is evident — pacificism makes no converts from the military party. The military party denies neither the bestiality nor the horror, nor the expense ; it only says that these things tell but half the story. It only says that war is worth them ; that, taking human nature as a whole, its wars are its best protection against its weaker and more cowardly self, and that mankind cannot afford to adopt a peace-economy.
Page 391 - If any of the provinces of the British empire cannot be made to contribute towards the support of the whole empire, it is surely time that Great Britain should free herself from the expense of defending those provinces in time of war, and of supporting any part of their civil or : military establishments in time of peace, and ,' endeavour to accommodate her future views/ and designs to the real mediocrity of her circumstances.
Page 406 - ... affirm that the results reached by Professor Hadley will commend themselves to candid thinkers as true. ... It will not only be found invaluable by readers at large, but will also at once command the attention and admiration of economists the world over." — Nation. " It is difficult to exaggerate the wealth of thought and the keenness of analysis contained in these chapters. Each one is crammed full of matter, presented in an attractive manner, illustrated by references to history and to contemporary...
Page 392 - To propose that Great Britain should voluntarily give up all authority over her colonies, and leave them to elect their own magistrates, to enact their own laws, and to make peace and war as they might think proper, would be to propose such a measure as never was and never will be adopted by any nation in the world.
Page 156 - Krieges," by SR Steinmetz, is a good example. War, according to this author, is an ordeal instituted by God, who weighs the nations in its balance. It is the essential form of the state, and the only function in which peoples can employ all their powers at once and convergently. No victory is possible save as the resultant of a totality of virtues, no defeat for which some vice or weakness is not responsible. Fidelity, cohesiveness, tenacity, heroism, conscience, education, inventiveness, economy,...
Page 303 - Burke's country in like manner. I assaulted a castle ' where the garrison surrendered. I put them to the ' misericordia of my soldiers. They were all slain. Thence ' I went on, sparing none which came in my way, which ' cruelty did so amaze their followers that they could ' not tell where to bestow themselves.
Page 35 - Therefore, a prudent ruler ought not to keep faith when by so doing it would be against his interest, and when the reasons which made him bind himself no longer exist. If men were all good, this precept would not be a good one; but as they are bad, and would not observe their faith with you, so you are not bound to keep faith with them.
Page 55 - If Germany were extinguished to-morrow, the day after to-morrow there is not an Englishman in the world who would not be the richer. Nations have fought for years over a city or a right of succession ; must they not fight for two hundred and fifty million pounds of yearly commerce...
Page 403 - The American Republic and Its Government. An Analysis of the Government of the United States, with a Consideration of its Fundamental Principles and of its Relations to the States and Territories. Octavo (by mail, $2 20) //(•/, $2 oo " A sounder or more useful commentary has never before seen the light. Even Mr. James Bryce's study of the "American Commonwealth ' must on the whole be deemed less fruitful. Not a single page should be overlooked.