Measured in time of transport and communication, the whole round globe is now smaller than a small European country was a hundred years ago.
John Boyd OrrRead
There can be no peace in the world so long as a large proportion of the population lack the necessities of life and believe that a change of the political and economic system will make them available. World peace must be based on world plenty.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True peace requires basic needs to be met and an equitable system to ensure abundance for all.
John Boyd Orr's quote emphasizes that genuine peace cannot exist when a substantial portion of the population suffers from deprivation. It suggests that individuals facing hardship will always yearn for change in political and economic structures, believing these can alleviate their struggles. Thus, to achieve lasting world peace, it is essential to create a situation where everyone has access to basic necessities and abundance, leading to a more harmonious society.
Themes
PeaceNecessitiesAbundancePolitical ChangeEconomic System
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech at a peace conference, one could use this quote to highlight the importance of addressing basic human needs.
More from John Boyd Orr
All quotes →It is said that those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad. It may well be that a war neurosis stirred up by propaganda of fear and hatred is the prelude to destruction.
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As we have seen, the wireless and the airplane have made the world so small and nations so dependent on each other that the only alternative to war is the United States of the World.
John Boyd OrrRead
When the fabric of society is so rigid that it cannot change quickly enough, adjustments are achieved by social unrest and revolutions.
John Boyd OrrRead
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