An armed society is a polite society.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Heinlein argues that the presence of armed citizens leads to more polite and civil behavior among them.
- In plain terms
- When people have weapons, they treat each other more politely.
- What can you take from it?
- Armed citizens may behave more civilly.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does armament change behavior?
- Is violence deterred by weapons?
Another view
Armed citizens can also lead to increased violence or accidents.
More from Robert A. Heinlein
You have attributed conditions to villainy that simply result from stupidity.
Permalink to quote #4 The whole principle is wrong. It's like demanding that grown men live on skim milk because the baby can't have steak.
Permalink to quote #6 There has grown up in the minds of certain groups in this country the notion that because a man or corporation has made a profit out of the public for a number…
Permalink to quote #3
Related quotes
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
Robert E. HowardRobert E. Howard quote #3 No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms [within his own lands].
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson quote #6 You know, we can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans to legitimately own handguns and rifles-it's something I strongly s…
Bill ClintonBill Clinton quote #7