Principles and Heresies

PRINCIPLES AND HERESIES Since Adam ate the apple, the per capita quantum of violence and potential violence in human society has remained, century in and century out, reasonably constant. Indeed, the third person in the world killed the fourth— or, if you prefer more secular images, primitively there was always present “continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

What has made the difference between the quantum of potential violence and actual violence has been the power of the moral authority of civilizations to inspire the members of society, and the firmness with which force has been exerted in defense of civilizations against external and internal barbarians. Against external barbarians, sometimes the moral authority of a great civilization has played a part, but primarily it has been force which has held the limes. Against internal barbarians, the problem has been more mixed, since a civilization with sufficient moral authority tends to civilize its internal barbarians.

FS

About the Author

Frank S. Meyer

Frank S. Meyer was a senior editor of National Review.

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PRINCIPLES AND HERESIES Since Adam ate the apple, the per capita quantum of violence and potential violence in human society has remained, century in and century out, reasonably constant. Indeed, the third person in the world killed the fourth— or, if you prefer more secular images, primitively there was always present “continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

What has made the difference between the quantum of potential violence and actual violence has been the power of the moral authority of civilizations to inspire the members of society, and the firmness with which force has been exerted in defense of civilizations against external and internal barbarians. Against external barbarians, sometimes the moral authority of a great civilization has played a part, but primarily it has been force which has held the limes. Against internal barbarians, the problem has been more mixed, since a civilization with sufficient moral authority tends to civilize its internal barbarians.