An apology offered and, equally important, received is a step towards reconciliation and, sometimes, recompense. Without that process, hurts can rankle and fester and erupt into their own hatreds and wrongdoings.
It is true that large parts of the world have not had to endure state-to-state wars for decades. The majority of the world's nations have also been spared the scourge of civil wars, although many have known violence from revolutionary insurrection.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights how many nations have experienced a long period without major wars, suggesting a relative era of peace despite ongoing violence in some areas.
In this quote, Margaret Macmillan reflects on the global context of peace, noting that while major state-to-state wars and civil wars have significantly decreased in various parts of the world, violence still exists through insurrections and revolutionary struggles. This observation invites a recognition of the complexities of peace, implying that while absence of large-scale conflicts is notable, there remain underlying tensions and issues that require attention.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about global stability, one might use this quote to illustrate how nations are finding alternatives to warfare.
More from Margaret Macmillan
All quotes →Climate change respects no borders.
War is a crucial, deeply ingrained part of human history. It has to be understood.
There was that argument that if we had more women in positions of authority, the world would be a nicer place. And then we got Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Indira Gandhi. When women become acclimatised to war, they can become every bit as ruthless as men.
Theodore Roosevelt's policy to build a two-ocean navy confirmed that the old-style isolationism of the founders had not survived the modern, increasingly globalized world.
If we don't take responsibility for each other, it seems to me the future is going to be even bleaker.
Similar quotes
I truly believe there is a field of peace within and that it can be enlivened and brought to the surface to be enjoyed by all.
The Department of Peace would take a more human approach to healing our society, looking not merely for ways we can destroy an enemy, but for more powerful ways to create new friends. While the State Department engages in international diplomacy, there is no domestic parallel. There is no department seeking to harness the power of a nonviolent heart.
But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps-who works in a foreign land-will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace.
My calling was first of all to ensure there was peace in the country, because we could easily have gone back to war. In the midst of the country, there were still warlords; there were many child soldiers who had never gone to school - they were part of the social setting - compromises had to be made.
By its existence, the Peace Movement denies that governments know best; it stands for a different order of priorities: the human race comes first.
The United States strongly seeks a lasting agreement for the discontinuance of nuclear weapons tests. We believe that this would be an important step toward reduction of international tensions and would open the way to further agreement on substantial measures of disarmament.