'A man thinks he is dying for his country,' said Anatole France, 'but he is dying for a few industrialists.' But even that is saying too much. What one dies for is not even so substantial and tangible as an industrialist. [p.224]
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Soldiers think they die for their country, but they often die for the interests of powerful industrialists, which is even less concrete.
- In plain terms
- Soldiers die for rich industrialists, not just their country.
- What can you take from it?
- War serves hidden economic interests, not noble causes.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who benefits from war?
- What do we die for?
Another view
Not all wars are driven by industrialists; some are ideological or defensive.
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