Project Gutenberg 2004-03-01 Public domain in the USA. 252 Chesterton, G. K. (Gilbert Keith) 1874 1936 Chesterton, Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Gilbert K. (Gilbert Keith) The Barbarism of Berlin E-text prepared by Robert Shimmin, Gregory Margo, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team HTML file produced by David Widger "The Barbarism of Berlin" by G. K. Chesterton is a critical essay written in the early 20th century, specifically in 1914, during the lead-up to World War I. The book is a historical account that examines the moral and ethical failures of Prussian militarism and its consequences on civilization. In this work, Chesterton argues against the barbaric behavior exhibited by Prussia, contrasting it with the more ethical stances of other nations in the conflict, and posits that a fundamental breakdown of promises and reciprocity is at the heart of the issues leading to war. In "The Barbarism of Berlin," Chesterton explores themes of civilization versus barbarism, emphasizing how the Prussian mindset embodies a deliberate hostility to the principles of civil society. He outlines how Prussian leaders manipulate language and promises, demonstrating a lack of commitment to reciprocity and justice. Chesterton critiques not just the actions of the Prussian government but also the underlying philosophy that permits such behavior. Through a detailed examination of historical events leading up to the war, he articulates the dangers of an unprincipled and opportunistic approach to international relations, asserting that such a worldview threatens the very fabric of human society. Ultimately, the work serves as a passionate call to recognize and resist the emerging tyranny of the Prussian state. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 65.2 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en World War, 1914-1918 -- Causes Germany -- Politics and government D501 Text Germany Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: History - Modern (1750+) Category: Politics 102146 2025-08-05T08:19:37.667533 text/html 78559 2024-10-28T18:46:04 text/html 107402 2025-08-05T08:19:42.868471 application/epub+zip 107387 2025-08-05T08:19:40.295488 application/epub+zip 105962 2025-08-05T08:19:39.140474 application/epub+zip 212949 2025-08-05T08:19:44.802465 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 202004 2025-08-05T08:19:42.162486 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 162061 2022-09-06T03:46:27.266623 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 86994 2025-08-05T08:19:37.236483 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 67104 2024-10-28T18:46:04 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 17259 2025-08-05T08:19:44.944449 application/rdf+xml 13295 2025-08-05T08:19:39.631477 image/jpeg 3691 2025-08-05T08:19:39.385486 image/jpeg 105506 2025-08-05T08:19:37.677503 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia