A man without a wife and babies is a menace to civilization... One bachelor is an irritation. Ten thousand bachelors are a war.
The quote reflects the author’s perspective on the importance of family structure in society. It suggests that a man without a family, particularly a wife and children, fails to contribute positively to civilization. Instead, such a bachelor can become a source of social disruption, implying that the absence of familial bonds may lead to broader societal issues.
Furthermore, the escalation in the number of bachelors is highlighted as a significant concern. The comparison of one unmarried man to an irritation, and ten thousand to a war, emphasizes how individual choices can aggregate into larger societal challenges. This commentary can be seen as a call to recognize the value of stable family units for maintaining social order and harmony.
