The Great Illusion by Norman Angell

These views founded on a gross and dangerous misconception -- What a German victory could and could not accomplish -- What an English victory could and could not accomplish -- The optical illusion of conquest -- There can be no transfer of wealth -- The prosperity of the little States in Europe -- German Three percents at 82 and Belgian at 96 -- Russian Three and a Half percents at 81, Norwegian at 102 -- What this really means -- If Germany annexed Holland, would any German benefit or any Hollander? -- The "cash value" of Alsace-Lorraine.

I think it will be admitted that there is not much chance of misunderstanding the general idea embodied in the passage quoted at the end of the last chapter. Mr. Harrison is especially definite. At the risk of "damnable iteration" I would again recall the fact that he is merely expressing one of the universally accepted axioms of European politics, namely, that a nation's financial and industrial stability, its security in commercial activity -- in short, its prosperity and well being depend, upon its being able to defend itself against the aggression of other nations, who will, if they are able, be tempted to commit such aggression because in so doing they will increase their power, prosperity and well-being, at the cost of the weaker and vanquished.