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Jan Smuts

Jan Smuts Biography

Statesman

Jan Smuts was a prominent South African statesman, military leader, and writer. Born on May 24, 1870, and died on September 11, 1950, Smuts played a significant role in both South African and British political and military arenas. He served twice as Prime Minister of South Africa and held key positions in the British military and the League of Nations during both World Wars.

Jan Smuts was a prominent South African statesman, military leader, and writer. Born on May 24, 1870, and died on September 11, 1950, Smuts played a significant role in both South African and British political and military arenas. He served twice as Prime Minister of South Africa and held key positions in the British military and the League of Nations during both World Wars.

Related Quotes

“...evolution is the gradual development and stratification of progressive series of wholes, stretching from the inorganic beginnings to the highest level of spiritual creation.”

Spiritual Growth Levels Creation Development Evolution Highest Series Progressive Stretching

Author:Jan Smuts

“To me the greatest thing that has happened on this earth of ours is the rise of the human race to the vision of God. That story of the human rise to what I call the vision of God is the story which is told in the Bible.”

Humans Stories Earth Race Vision Happened Bible Human Race

Author:Jan Smuts

“If there was to be equal manhood suffrage the whites would be swamped all over South Africa by the blacks and the whole position for which whites have striven for 200 years or more would be given up.”

Ifs Years Whole Would Be Given Position Equal South South Africa Manhood Given Up Suffrage

Author:Jan Smuts

“The intimate rapport with nature is one of the most precious things in life. Nature is indeed very close to us; sometimes closer than hands and feet, of which in truth she is but the extension. The emotional appeal of nature is tremendous, sometimes almost more than one can bear.”

Sometimes Hands Feet Emotional Bears Appeals Intimate Things In Life Extensions Precious Things Rapport Hands And Feet Holism Emotional Appeal

Author:Jan Smuts

“Perhaps it is God's will to lead the people of South Africa through defeat and humiliation to a better future and a brighter day.”

People South Defeat Gods Will South Africa Humiliation Brighter Better Future Brighter Days

Author:Jan Smuts

“What was everybody's business in the end proved to be nobody's business. Each one looked to the other to take the lead, and the aggressorsgot away with it.”

Author:Jan Smuts

“This is a good world. We need not approve of all the items in it, nor of all the individuals in it; but the world itself-which is more than its parts or individuals; which has a soul, a spirit, a fundamental relation to each of us deeper than all other relations-is a friendly world.”

World Needs Soul Spirit Individual Relation Fundamentals Deeper Friendly Items

Book:Greater South Africa: plans for a better world

Source: Greater South Africa: plans for a better world

“Instead of the animistic, mechanistic, or the mathematical universe, we see the genetic, organic, holistic universe.”

Universe Mathematical Holistic

Book:Greater South Africa: plans for a better world

Source: Greater South Africa: plans for a better world

“History writes the word 'Reconciliation' over all her quarrels.”

Writing Quarrels Reconciliation

Book:Jan Christian Smuts: a biography

Source: Jan Christian Smuts: a biography

“If a nation does not want a monarchy, change the nation's mind. If a nation does not need a monarchy, change the nation's needs.”

Ifs Want Needs Mind Doe Nations Monarchy Monarchs

Author:Jan Smuts

“In spite of the great advances which have been made in our knowledge, some fundamental gaps remain. Matter, life and mind still remain utter disparate phenomena, yet the concepts of all three arise in experience; and in the human all three meet and intermingle.”

Mind Humans Has Beens Made Stills Matter Three Concepts Fundamentals Arise Spite Gaps

Author:Jan Smuts

“When I look at history, I am a pessimist...but when I look at prehistory, I am an optimist.”

Looks Optimist Pessimist Prehistory

Author:Jan Smuts

“A man is not defeated by his opponents but by himself”

Men Confidence Defeat Self Confidence Opponents Defeated

Author:Jan Smuts

“When in doubt, do the courageous thing.”

Courage Doubt Courageous When In Doubt

Author:Jan Smuts

“The mountain is not something eternally sublime; it has a great historic and spiritual meaning to us. It stands for us as the ladder of life. Nay, more; it is the ladder of the soul and in a curious way the source of religion. From it came the Law, from it came the Gospel in the Sermon of the Mount. We may trul say that the highest religion is the Religion of the Mountain.”

Way May Soul Spiritual Law Source Mountain Highest Curious Climbing Sublime Historic Sermons Ladders

Author:Jan Smuts

“Democracy, with its promise of international peace, has been no better guarantee against war than the old dynastic rule of kings.”

Has Beens War Democracy Kings Promise International Tyranny Guarantees International Peace Against War

Book:Jan Christian Smuts: a biography

Source: Jan Christian Smuts: a biography

“Having no human companion I felt a spirit of comradeship for the objects of nature around me. In my childish way I communed with these as with my own soul; they became the sharers of my confidence.”

Way Humans Soul Spirit Felt My Own Objects Companion Comradeship Holism

Author:Jan Smuts

About the Author

Born: May 24, 1870
Died: September 11, 1950
Known for: Statesman
Quotes: 17

Related Topics

Humans Soul Defeat Fundamentals Has Beens Highest Holism Ifs Mind Needs

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Greater South Africa: plans for a better worldRelated source material

Jan Christian Smuts: a biographyRelated source material

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