Ch. 12: Powers and forms of governments
“
The "social contract," in the only sense in which it is not completely mythical, is a contract among conquerors, which loses its raison d'être if they are deprived of the benefits of conquest.
— Bertrand Russell
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The "social contract," in the only sense in which it is not completely mythical, is a contract among conquerors, which loses its raison d'être if they are deprived of the benefits of conquest." in the context of "Ch. 12: Powers and forms of governments" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Bertrand Russell" (Quotes, 1930s, Power: A New Social Analysis (1938))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 08, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Tags
About Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (May 18, 1872 – February 2, 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. In 1950, he was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature.
About Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (May 18, 1872 – February 2, 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. In 1950, he was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature.
View all quotes →