War is a Racket

General Smedley Butler (1881-1940) published this passionate book in 1934, in the midst of the great depression. The title still says it all, asking the key questions: who makes the profits, and who pays the bills? As he writes, war is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many – this is still true today. Butler draws many of his examples from World War I, but they are equally applicable to other conflicts. Moreover, many of the same companies who profit from destruction also profit from reconstruction – all of which is counted as economic growth! It is ultimately the taxpayer that foots the bill of increased debt benefiting the bankers, and the human price is paid by the soldiers, also in the aftermath with PTSD. A key question is how to take the profit out of war, which is all the more acute in such a militarised world dominated by fear and insecurity. How can we devise a system where peace becomes more profitable? This can only come about with a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of life and the interdependence of peoples. Even if this seems a distant prospect, we are morally obliged to work towards it.