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But Barth's silence, Niebuhr replied, was still not satisfactorily explained. "Events in Hungary were ample proof that we must have enough regard for 'systems' and 'principles' to recognize that an absolute monopoly of irresponsible power creates grievous injustices under any system. My point was that 'looking at every event afresh in the light of the Word of God defrauds us of the lessons of history." In other words, concludes Niebuhr, "there is no substitute for common sense, even for theologians."