It has been calculated that what with salvos, royal and…
““It has been calculated that what with salvos, royal and military politeness, courteous exchanges of uproar, signals of etiquette, formalities of roadsteads and citadels, sunrises and sunsets, saluted every day by all fortresses and all ships of war, openings and closings of ports, etc., the civilized world, discharged all over the earth, in the course of four and twenty hours, one hundred and fifty thousand useless shots. At six francs a shot, that comes to nine hundred thousand francs a day, three hundred millions a year, which vanish in smoke. This is a mere details. All this time the poor were dying of hunger.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
He critiques the massive waste of resources on war while people starve, highlighting absurdity of militarism.
In simple terms: War spends money while people starve.
Key Takeaway
Question the value of military expenditure.
Themes
war
economics
human suffering
inequality
Mood
somber
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Policy debates
- budget allocations
- public awareness campaigns
Key Concepts
Political economy
military-industrial complex
humanitarianism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies redirect funds to aid the hungry?
- What moral obligations do governments have to prevent waste?
A Different Perspective
National security arguments may counter criticism.