Of the twenty-two civilizations that have appeared in history, nineteen of them collapsed when they reached the moral state the United States is in now.
Arnold J. ToynbeeRead
Of the twenty or so civilizations known to modern Western historians, all except our own appear to be dead or moribund, and, when we diagnose each case... we invariably find that the cause of death has been either War or Class or some combination of the two.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Civilizations often fall due to conflict or social inequality.
In this quote, Arnold J. Toynbee reflects on the fate of various civilizations throughout history, suggesting that the predominant reasons for their decline relate to war and class struggles. He argues that these factors create instability and ultimately lead to the collapse of societies, with our own civilization appearing to be an exception amidst a pattern of historical demise.
Themes
CivilizationWarClassDeclineHistory
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on the rise and fall of empires, Toynbee's quote serves as a cautionary tale.
More from Arnold J. Toynbee
All quotes →It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
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No being can be what he is unless he is putting his essence into action in his field.
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Write regularly, day in and day out, at whatever times of day you find that you write best. Don't wait till you feel that you are in the mood. Write, whether you are feeling inclined to write or not.
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I do not believe that civilizations have to die because civilization is not an organism. It is a product of wills.
Arnold J. ToynbeeRead
Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God.
Arnold J. ToynbeeRead
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