Absolute War
Absoluter Krieg
Definition
The logical extreme of war — violence pushed to its theoretical maximum, unlimited in means, aimed at the total disarmament of the enemy. Clausewitz posits it as an analytical abstraction; real wars are limited by friction, political object, and human weakness. Contrast with Real War.
Primary Chapters
- Book 1 Ch 1
- Book 8 Ch 2 — Absolute and Real War