There is nothing more agreeable in life than to make peace with the Establishment – and nothing more corrupting. A J P Taylor
In my opinion, most of the great men of the past were only there for the beer – the wealth, prestige and grandeur that went with the power. A J P Taylor
No matter what political reasons are given for war, the underlying reason is always economic. A J P Taylor
He was what I often think is a dangerous thing for a statesman to be – a student of history; and like most of those who study history, he learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones. A J P Taylor
History is not another name for the past, as many people imply. It is the name for stories about the past. A J P Taylor
No war is inevitable until it breaks out. A J P Taylor
Perfect soldier, perfect gentleman never gave offence to anyone not even the enemy. A J P Taylor
The greatest problem about old age is the fear that it may go on too long. A J P Taylor
Human blunders usually do more to shape history than human wickedness. A J P Taylor
The crusade against Communism was even more imaginary than the specter of Communism. A J P Taylor
The great armies, accumulated to provide security and preserve the peace, carried the nations to war by their own weight. A J P Taylor
History is not a catalogue but…a convincing version of events. A J P Taylor
History is the great propagator of doubt. A J P Taylor
We are apt to say that a foreign policy is successful only when the country, or at any rate the governing class, is united behind it. In reality, every line of policy is repudiated by a section, often by an influential section, of the country concerned. A foreign minister who waited until everyone agreed with him would have no foreign policy at all. A J P Taylor