"Thus, if armaments were curtailed without a secure peace and all countries disarmed proportionately, military security would have been in no way affected"

Ludwig Quidde, a popular pacifist and Nobel Peace Reward laureate of the early 20th century, articulated his viewpoint on disarmament and international security in the quote you offered. To comprehend this statement, it's vital to unpack the context and the ideas it presents about disarmament, peace, and global relations.

First of all, Quidde highlights the relationship in between disarmament and peace. His use of the word "curtailed" indicates a decrease or restriction in armaments. He recommends that simply lowering weaponries is insufficient unless it occurs together with a "safe and secure peace". The ramification is that disarmament must not be an isolated action however part of a more comprehensive strategy to make sure international peace and stability.

Quidde further stresses that disarmament should take place "proportionately" across all countries. This element addresses the concern that unilateral disarmament-- where just some countries minimize their military capabilities-- may cause imbalances in power and security. Proportional disarmament indicates that all countries ought to reduce their weaponries at a comparable scale to preserve a stability, making sure that no single nation gets a considerable military benefit. Hence, Quidde advocates for a collaborative worldwide effort where disarmament is well-coordinated and equally agreed upon.

The latter part of the quote, "military security would have remained in no chance affected", highlights Quidde's belief that proportionate disarmament, in conjunction with a secure peace, would not weaken a country's security. On the contrary, it may improve it by reducing the likelihood of military conflict and fostering a more stable and predictable global environment. The concept is that security does not solely derive from military might but also from the guarantee of peaceful relations and shared trust amongst countries.

In essence, Quidde's quote conveys a vision of a world where peace and security are achieved not through the build-up of weaponries and the risk of force, but through cooperation, trust, and balanced disarmament. This perspective records the idealistic yet pragmatic method of lots of early 20th-century pacifists who thought in the capacity for worldwide law and diplomacy to develop a more safe and unified world.