Explanation: Terror is not always the effect of force, and an armament is not a victory.

Answer: The sentence occurs in Burke’s “Speech on Conciliation with America”, an unforgettable piece in the tradition of British parliamentary speeches. Here Burke shows one of the objections to the use of force against the American people.

In the “Speech on Conciliation with America” Edmund Burke, the great British parliamentarian of the 18th century makes a fierce and imperishable campaign against the policy of trying to coerce the American colonies and upholds his policy of compromise. He has several objections to the use of force against the American people. He puts forward several arguments to prove the futility of the use of force as an instrument of policy. Burke opposes the idea of using force against the American people because of its uncertain nature. The use of force does not guarantee success; it may fail. A show of force is often useless and futile. Far from striking terror into the hearts of the enemy, it may make a resourceful enemy like the American colonies all the more offended and determined to oppose force by hook or by crook. Besides, mere possession of arms does not necessarily imply victory. Arms and weapons do not always guarantee success. This is why Burke proposes peace and conciliation with the American colonists. He upholds the idea that only by means of a peaceful solution America can be retained as Britain’s colony. Burke’s political sagacity and penetrating insight into worldly affairs are evident in the quoted lines.