There is nothing more agreeable in life than to make peace with the Establishment – and nothing more corrupting. – A. J. P. Taylor
A racing tipster who only reached Hitler’s level of accuracy would not do well for his clients. – 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
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
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
The crusade against Communism was even more imaginary than the specter of Communism. – A. J. P. Taylor
Psychoanalysts believe that the only ‘normal’ people are those who cause no trouble either to themselves or anyone else. – A. J. P. Taylor
Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones. – A. J. P. Taylor
Lenin was the first to discover that capitalism ‘inevitably’ caused war; and he discovered this only when the First World War was already being fought. Of course he was right. Since every great state was capitalist in 1914. – A. J. P. Taylor