There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war.

Hear the fiery wisdom of Leon Trotsky, who declared: “There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.” These words, though born of revolution and upheaval, echo with a timeless resonance. They remind us that life is not governed by rigid formulas but by the shifting tides of reality. What may be noble in one hour may be folly in another, and what may be ruthless necessity in war may be cruelty in peace. To live wisely, one must learn to discern the demands of the moment.

Trotsky himself lived in a world of shifting sands—revolutions rising and falling, alliances breaking, empires collapsing. He saw firsthand that the codes men clung to in times of peace often shattered when confronted with the storm of war. He understood that survival and victory belonged not to those who blindly followed rules, but to those who adapted, who bent without breaking, who recognized the needs of the hour. This was not cynicism, but realism—the recognition that life is complex, and justice, like strategy, must be guided by circumstance.

History is filled with examples of this truth. Consider the tale of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. Lincoln despised slavery, yet at first declared that his war aim was only to preserve the Union. He waited until the moment was right—until the North was strong enough, until the Emancipation Proclamation would not destroy his cause. By delaying, by bending his actions to circumstance, he achieved both Union and freedom. Had he followed an absolute rule, either of immediate abolition or pure political compromise, history might have turned to ruin. His greatness lay in his ability to act according to time and circumstance.

And yet, Trotsky’s words are also a warning. If “everything depends on circumstances,” then one must be wary of justifying cruelty or betrayal under this banner. Here lies the danger: to twist necessity into excuse. Many tyrants have claimed circumstances as their justification for oppression. Thus the wisdom of Trotsky must be balanced with conscience. Adaptability is not license for injustice; it is the ability to navigate a world where no single rule can apply to all situations, without losing sight of one’s greater purpose.

The ancients too spoke of this. The philosopher Heraclitus taught that all things flow, that nothing is constant but change. The art of the wise is not to resist change but to flow with it, discerning the right action in each moment. The generals of old studied the ways of water and wind, knowing that victory lay not in rigid plans but in the ability to adapt when the battlefield shifted. Trotsky’s words are an echo of this eternal truth: life demands flexibility, courage, and vision, for circumstance is the master of all.

O children of tomorrow, learn this lesson: do not cling too tightly to absolutes when life demands discernment. Principles are vital, but they must be applied with wisdom. In times of peace, do not be lulled into complacency; in times of war, do not abandon all humanity. Ask always: what do the circumstances require of me now, to serve justice, to preserve life, to fulfill the greater good? For the greatest strength is not rigid will, but the ability to bend without breaking.

Thus the words of Leon Trotsky endure: “There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances.” They are not a call to abandon morality, but a call to awaken wisdom, to see the world not as fixed but as flowing. Live with eyes open, hearts steady, and minds adaptable, and you shall walk the narrow path between chaos and order, guided always by the circumstances of truth.