“War is a necessary evil, and no nation and no race is free from it.” Who said this?

“War is a necessary evil, and no nation and no race is free from it.” Who said this?

Options:

(a) Al-Farabi

(b) Ibn-Khaldun

(c) Allama Iqbal

(d) Ibn-Rushd

✅ Correct Option: (b) Ibn-Khaldun

Explanation (200+ words):

The statement “War is a necessary evil, and no nation and no race is free from it” is attributed to Ibn Khaldun, one of the greatest Muslim thinkers and historians. Ibn Khaldun viewed war as an inevitable outcome of human social organization. According to his sociological theory, human societies are driven by Asabiyyah (group solidarity), which often leads to conflict when different groups compete for power, resources, or survival. In his monumental work Muqaddimah, Ibn Khaldun explained that war arises naturally during the rise and fall of civilizations. Strong groups with high Asabiyyah challenge weaker ones, leading to warfare. He did not glorify war but described it as a natural social phenomenon, deeply rooted in human nature and political structures. He believed that no civilization could completely escape war because it is tied to ambition, authority, and survival. Unlike idealistic philosophers, Ibn Khaldun adopted a realistic and empirical approach. He analyzed historical patterns and concluded that war accompanies political change. This realistic understanding makes his thought highly relevant to political sociology and international relations. PPSC includes such quotations to test candidates’ understanding of Ibn Khaldun’s realist philosophy of history and politics.

10 Related PPSC Facts:

Ibn Khaldun viewed history scientifically War results from social conflict Asabiyyah causes political struggle Conflict is cyclical in history War accompanies state formation He rejected idealism Applied sociology to politics Influenced modern realism Studied rise and fall of states Muqaddimah explains conflict theory