Charles de Secondat War Quotations

The object of war is victory; that of victory is conquest; and that of conquest preservation.

Each particular society begins to feel its strength, whence arises a state of war between different nations.

There are only two cases in which war is just: first, in order to resist the aggression of an enemy, and second, in order to help an ally who has been attacked.

As soon as man enters into a state of society he loses the sense of his weakness; equality ceases, and then commences the state of war.

The law of nations is naturally founded on this principle, that different nations ought in time of peace to do one another all the good they can, and in time of war as little injury as possible, without prejudicing their real interests.