Quotes By A. J. P. Taylor

The great armies, accumulated to provide security and preserve the peace, carried the nations to war by their own weight.

A racing tipster who only reached Hitler's level of accuracy would not do well for his clients.

Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.

The greatest problem about old age is the fear that it may go on too long.

Human blunders usually do more to shape history than human wickedness.

The crusade against Communism was even more imaginary than the specter of Communism.

Psychoanalysts believe that the only 'normal' people are those who cause no trouble either to themselves or anyone else.

Nothing is inevitable until it happens.

Lenin was the first to discover that capitalism 'inevitably' caused war; and he discovered this only when the First World War was already being fought. Of course he was right. Since every great state was capitalist in 1914.

A master of improvised speech and improvised policies.

No matter what political reasons are given for war, the underlying reason is always economic.

No war is inevitable until it breaks out.

In my opinion, most of the great men of the past were only there for the beer - the wealth, prestige and grandeur that went with the power.

He was what I often think is a dangerous thing for a statesman to be - a student of history; and like most of those who study history, he learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.

There is nothing more agreeable in life than to make peace with the Establishment - and nothing more corrupting.