---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let's face it, war in its essence is…"
description: "\"Let's face it, war in its essence is another form of capitalism.\" — Bell Hooks"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/bell-hooks-464_capitalism_let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-anot_2970729.jpg"
---

#  Let's face it, war in its essence is another form of…

![“Let's face it, war in its essence is another form of capitalism.” quote by Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/bell-hooks-464_capitalism_let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-anot_2970729.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/bell-hooks-464_capitalism_let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-anot_2970729.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/bell-hooks-464_capitalism_let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-anot_2970729.jpg)

> “Let's face it, war in its essence is another form of capitalism.”

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She asserts that war functions as a form of capitalism, exposing how conflict serves economic interests.

**In simple terms:** War is an economic system.

Key Takeaway

Critique the profit motives behind conflict.

Themes

war capitalism power structures

Mood

critical provocative

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- policy analysis
- activist organizing
- educational curricula

Key Concepts

political economy military‑industrial complex social critique

Questions to Reflect On

- How does capitalism fuel war?
- What alternatives exist?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex causes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Face War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-war-1579861/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Form Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-capitalism-3946914/) [Let Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-face/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-essence-4572790/)

## Related quotes

> [There's a basis for the war, historically, in the 'Hunger Games,' which would be the third servile war, which was Spartacus' war, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/there-s-a-basis-for-the-war-historically-in-the-hunger-games-which/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [If you really want to see the face of war, see the faces of survivors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kingston/if-you-really-want-to-see-the-face-of-war-see-the-faces-of-survivors/)

[Jack Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kingston/)

> [I really do think that if for one week in the United States we saw the true face of war, we saw people's limbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/i-really-do-think-that-if-for-one-week-in-the-united-states-we-saw/)

[Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/)

> [Nothing is more important in the face of a war than cutting taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/nothing-is-more-important-in-the-face-of-a-war-than-cutting-taxes/)

[Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/)

> [“But how many young people truly comprehend the face of war until it's staring them down? You can't patrol unfriendly villages without embracing paranoia.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/but-how-many-young-people-truly-comprehend-the-face-of-war-until-it-s/)

[Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/)

> [A more humane form of capitalism is about the best I think we can get. Which might sound very reformist or conservative, but that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/a-more-humane-form-of-capitalism-is-about-the-best-i-think-we-can-get/)

[Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/)

> [The way the credit cards were made in the '80s to be a people's form of capitalism and be able to make it so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cramer/the-way-the-credit-cards-were-made-in-the-80s-to-be-a-people-s-form/)

[Jim Cramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cramer/)

> [Capitalism has never stood back and examined itself properly. I think everybody knows that capitalism is the only thing that works, but is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/capitalism-has-never-stood-back-and-examined-itself-properly-i-think/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [A key focus of my administration will be the revitalization of Japan through a new form of capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-kishida/a-key-focus-of-my-administration-will-be-the-revitalization-of-japan/)

[Fumio Kishida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-kishida/)

> [I have problems with this very extreme form of capitalism where the pendulum has swung so far in one direction, where the focus is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/i-have-problems-with-this-very-extreme-form-of-capitalism-where-the/)

[Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/)

> [“Perhaps Chalaby put it best when he argued that “journalism is not only an invention of the market economy, but…the narrative form that capitalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bray/perhaps-chalaby-put-it-best-when-he-argued-that-journalism-is-not/)

[Mark Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bray/)

> [In Cuba we had the most ferocious form of capitalism for 60 years. It dominated every sphere of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-castro-espin/in-cuba-we-had-the-most-ferocious-form-of-capitalism-for-60-years-it/)

[Alejandro Castro Espin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-castro-espin/)

> [“O God let your face shine on us!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/o-god-let-your-face-shine-on-us/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-houston/let-s-face-it-friends-make-life-a-lot-more-fun/)

[Brian Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-houston/)

> [Let's face it: I look pretty out of shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/let-s-face-it-i-look-pretty-out-of-shape/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

## More by Bell Hooks

> [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [“Most folks believe we are hardwired biologically to long for sex but they do not believe we are hardwired to long for love. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/most-folks-believe-we-are-hardwired-biologically-to-long-for-sex-but/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [Couples who rarely or never have sex can know lifelong love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/couples-who-rarely-or-never-have-sex-can-know-lifelong-love/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [The power of patriarchy has been to make maleness feared and to make men feel that it is better to be feared that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-power-of-patriarchy-has-been-to-make-maleness-feared-and-to-make/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [“I feel enormously blessed to be a successful black woman writer in this culture, but I have found my small fame, such as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-feel-enormously-blessed-to-be-a-successful-black-woman-writer-in/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [Language is also a place of struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/language-is-also-a-place-of-struggle/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [In this culture, the phrase 'black woman' is not synonymous with 'tender,' or 'gentle.' It's as if those words couldn't possibly speak to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/in-this-culture-the-phrase-black-woman-is-not-synonymous-with-tender/)

[bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [It's interesting to look at all the aspects where everyday Americans, many of whom are not college educated, are thinking deeply now about our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/it-s-interesting-to-look-at-all-the-aspects-where-everyday-americans/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [The true teacher is within us. A good teacher is someone who can help you to go back and touch the true teacher within,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-true-teacher-is-within-us-a-good-teacher-is-someone-who-can-help/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [“Advancing the notion that there can be many "feminisms" has served the conservative and liberal political interests of women seeking status and privileged class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/advancing-the-notion-that-there-can-be-many-feminisms-has-served-the/)

[bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [I love my family, even as I critique their dysfunctionalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-love-my-family-even-as-i-critique-their-dysfunctionalities/)

[bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [You must have courage to love, you have to have a profound will to do what is right to love, and it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/you-must-have-courage-to-love-you-have-to-have-a-profound-will-to-do/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [To truly love we must learn to mix various ingredients - care, affection, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust, as well as honest and open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/to-truly-love-we-must-learn-to-mix-various-ingredients-care-affection/)

[Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

> [“Often emphasis on identity and lifestyle is appealing because it creates a false sense that one is engaged in praxis. However, praxis within any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/often-emphasis-on-identity-and-lifestyle-is-appealing-because-it/)

[bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

[Explore all 541 Bell Hooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/)

## More Capitalism quotes

> [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/)

[Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/)

> [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/)

[Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/)

> [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/)

[F. A. Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-a-harper/)

> [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/capitalism-communism-it-s-all-garbage/)

[Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/)

> [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/)

[Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/)

> [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/)

[Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/)

> [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/)

[John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/)

> [Socialism is humanity's second nature. All politicians do is turn human vice into votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/socialism-is-humanity-s-second-nature-all-politicians-do-is-turn/)

[Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/)

> [“Scholars have long debated whether capital markets lead to appropriate levels of saving and investment for future generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weimer/scholars-have-long-debated-whether-capital-markets-lead-to/)

[David L. Weimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-weimer/)

> [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

[Browse all 3,832 Capitalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Let's face it, war in its essence is another form of capitalism.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bell Hooks"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-another-form-of-capitalism/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Capitalism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-another-form-of-capitalism/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/bell-hooks-464_capitalism_let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-anot_2970729.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/bell-hooks-464_capitalism_let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-anot_2970729.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/bell-hooks-464_capitalism_let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-anot_2970729.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Let's face it, war in its essence is another form of capitalism.” — Bell Hooks",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bell Hooks",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Let's face it, war in its...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-another-form-of-capitalism/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/let-s-face-it-war-in-its-essence-is-another-form-of-capitalism/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
