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About this quote

What does it mean?
Being completely defenseless is the worst possible state for a war participant.
In plain terms
Having no defense is the worst condition.
What can you take from it?
Maintain some level of defense to avoid total vulnerability.

Where it applies

  • national security
  • personal safety
  • business competition

Putting it to work

  • build defenses
  • assess risks
  • prepare contingencies

Questions to consider

  • How do you protect yourself?
  • What is the worst state?

Another view

Sometimes peace is better than constant defense.

More from Karl von Clausewitz

  1. The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing practica…

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  2. Men are always more inclined to pitch their estimate of the enemy's strength too high than too low, such is human nature.

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  3. Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the …

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