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 great armies, accumulated to provide security and preserve the peace, carried the nations to war by their own weight.

- A. J. P. Taylor

The greatest problem about old age is the fear that it may go on too long.

- A. J. P. Taylor

No war is inevitable until it breaks out.

- 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

There is nothing more agreeable in life than to make peace with the Establishment - and nothing more corrupting.

- 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

Psychoanalysts believe that the only 'normal' people are those who cause no trouble either to themselves or anyone else.

- A. J. P. Taylor

Human blunders usually do more to shape history than human wickedness.

- 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

A racing tipster who only reached Hitler's level of accuracy would not do well for his clients.

- A. J. P. Taylor

Nothing is inevitable until it happens.

- A. J. P. Taylor

No matter what political reasons are given for war, the underlying reason is always economic.

- A. J. P. Taylor

The crusade against Communism was even more imaginary than the specter of Communism.

- A. J. P. Taylor

A master of improvised speech and improvised policies.

- A. J. P. Taylor