War and Peace, Part 2: Second Epilogue, Chapter 6 summary
Part 2: Second Epilogue, Chapter 6 of 365 · 6 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 6, the narrator argues that commands do not cause events independently, since only orders matching the course of events are carried out. Using Napoleon’s campaigns and the structure of an army, the narrator defines power through the relationship between those who command and those who act directly.
What happens
- The narrator distinguishes God’s independent will from human commands, which depend on time and preceding orders.
- Napoleon’s orders concerning England remain unexecuted, while a sequence of commands corresponds to the movement into Russia.
- Historical accounts create misleading causes by compressing many events and orders into one apparent decision.
- The narrator defines power as a relationship between commanders and participants in collective action.
- An army illustrates how higher ranks contain fewer people, give more commands, and participate less directly.
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