"If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism"

Thomas Sowell’s assertion draws a stark dichotomy between the maintenance of civilization and the acceptance of barbarism, arguing that force is sometimes an unavoidable element in the defense of societal order. Civilization is built on layers of laws, norms, and shared values that allow for cooperation, peace, and progress. However, these structures are not inherent in human nature; they are sustained through collective effort and, at times, through the willingness to resist those who threaten to disrupt or dismantle them.

The suggestion is not an unrestrained endorsement of violence, but rather a pragmatic acknowledgment that there exist forces—individuals or groups—antithetical to civilization’s principles. History is replete with instances where societies were confronted by internal or external threats, ranging from violent criminals to invading armies. If a community is unwilling or unable to oppose such threats with force where necessary, it risks succumbing to the will of those who have no qualms about using violence to achieve their aims.

This moral claim rests on the idea that pacifism, when taken to the extreme of unpreparedness, leaves society vulnerable. Societies that renounce force altogether may inadvertently empower those who operate outside the bounds of law. Rule of law and civilized conduct are not self-enforcing; their preservation sometimes demands actions that are uncomfortable and even violent. The threat or application of force can act as a deterrent, preventing chaos and preserving the institutions that underpin a functional society.

On a philosophical level, the quote confronts the reader with a hard reality: ideals of peace and order are fragile. Defending them may require confronting uncomfortable paradoxes. Both the refusal to meet aggression and the misuse of force carry risks, but the author’s perspective is that the abdication of defense leads directly to the undoing of civilization itself, leaving only barbarism in its wake.