"War kills men, and men deplore the loss; but war also crushes bad principles and tyrants, and so saves societies"

War devastates lives, taking men from their families and communities, leaving emotional and societal voids. The sense of loss is keenly felt, as each fallen individual represents not just a casualty, but a story, a future unfulfilled, a community diminished. The suffering wrought by war is not only physical but deeply existential, calling forth widespread regret and lamentation from those who endure its aftermath.

Yet running parallel to this tragedy is a paradoxical benefit, a kind of historical justification that has accompanied warfare through the ages. While war extinguishes life, it sometimes acts as a crucible in which societies are tested and transformed; through conflict, oppressive ideologies and rulers, what Colton calls "bad principles and tyrants", may be defeated or swept away, allowing room for renewal. The collapse of despotism at the hands of collective resistance can lead to the emergence of more equitable systems and freer societies. In this view, the violence of war performs a destructive yet purgative function, clearing the ground for healthier civic life.

This dynamic introduces a somber moral calculus. The grief over lost lives stands in tension with the acknowledgment that, in some historical contexts, war has been a catalyst for progress and liberation. The eradication of damaging doctrines, the overthrow of repressive regimes, are counted among the macabre dividends of conflict. Societies may thus be “saved”, not only in the sense of direct survival, but through the reconfiguration of values, laws, and structures that war, in its ruthless upheaval, may force upon them.

Such reflection does not celebrate war, nor does it eclipse the magnitude of human loss. Rather, it recognizes that sometimes extraordinary suffering produces renewal, and the sacrifice of individuals, though grievous, can lay the groundwork for larger social salivation. Out of turbulence, the seeds of healthier societies may finally take root.