Wars--and what is war except crime on a mass scale?--destroy rather than produce. The vandal that destroys a window causes not only the owner to bear the costs of replacing it, but costs those whom he planned on using that money to buy from. The same goes for wars. The warlords--of war and peace--destroyed so much, not only what existed, but all those new things that could have existed, if only individuals were left in peace.

Summary

This quote highlights the destructive nature of wars and compares them to crimes committed on a larger scale. It suggests that wars, like vandalism, do not create anything but instead cause destruction. Just as a vandal who breaks a window forces the owner to bear the cost of replacement, wars lead to extensive destruction of life and resources. The quote also implies that wars hamper progress and development by preventing individuals from living in peace and hindering the potential growth of new ideas and possibilities.

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