--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All wars are follies, very expensive and…" description: "\"“All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievious ones.”\" — Benjamin Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3c/benjamin-franklin-65_expensive_all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and_2271191.png" --- # All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievious… ![“All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievious ones.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3c/benjamin-franklin-65_expensive_all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and_2271191.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3c/benjamin-franklin-65_expensive_all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and_2271191.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3c/benjamin-franklin-65_expensive_all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and_2271191.png) > ““All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievious ones.”” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War is costly, foolish, and mischievous, causing unnecessary suffering. **In simple terms:** War is wasteful and foolish. Key Takeaway Avoid war; seek peace. Themes politics ethics conflict Mood critical thought‑provoking Type political philosophical When to use this quote - government policy - international relations - education - activism Key Concepts philosophy history Questions to Reflect On - Is war ever justified? - How can societies prevent war? A Different Perspective Some wars are deemed necessary for defense. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expensive/) [Expensive Mischievious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expensive-mischievious-5264598/) [Follies Expensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follies-expensive-2190793/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wars/) [Wars Follies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wars-follies-2190791/) ## Related quotes > [All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievous ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and-very-mischievous-ones/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Wars are not paid for in wartime, the bill comes later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/wars-are-not-paid-for-in-wartime-the-bill-comes-later/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-only-thing-more-expensive-than-education-is-ignorance/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [No more wars, no more bloodshed, and no more threats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/no-more-wars-no-more-bloodshed-and-no-more-threats/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [“FLIES IN DISGUISE Tell me, Have you Really seen Flies in a child's eyes Or heard their hungry cries In the middle Of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/flies-in-disguise-tell-me-have-you-really-seen-flies-in-a-child-s/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“Wars are never won, they’re only fought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hildreth/wars-are-never-won-they-re-only-fought/) [Scott Hildreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hildreth/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name! All wars are wars among thieves who are too cowardly to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/poor-human-nature-what-horrible-crimes-have-been-committed-in-thy/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Wars of any magnitude release powerful social and economic forces which can change the whole face of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/wars-of-any-magnitude-release-powerful-social-and-economic-forces/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“There are trials and mistakes and even wars along the path of marriage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-callahan-henry/there-are-trials-and-mistakes-and-even-wars-along-the-path-of-marriage/) [Patti Callahan Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-callahan-henry/) > [I agree that mommy wars are not good for any mothers: that such wars are time and effort wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-tsing-loh/i-agree-that-mommy-wars-are-not-good-for-any-mothers-that-such-wars/) [Sandra Tsing Loh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-tsing-loh/) > [Things that appear on the front page of the newspaper as 'fact' are far more dangerous than the games played by a novelist, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/things-that-appear-on-the-front-page-of-the-newspaper-as-fact-are-far/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [Life is too bitter already, without territories and wars and noble feuds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-bitter-already-without-territories-and-wars-and-noble/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have a war on women, race wars. Income wars, age wars, religious wars, anything you can imagine. A house divided against itself cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/we-have-a-war-on-women-race-wars-income-wars-age-wars-religious-wars/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Expensive quotes > [Consumers can choose organic cotton grown without pesticides, but it uses more water and requires more land than conventional crops. Organic cotton can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/consumers-can-choose-organic-cotton-grown-without-pesticides-but-it/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [I watched a film called 'Elephant' recently. Its not stylish in the sense of expensive suits and Italian cars, but the styling on every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinie-tempah/i-watched-a-film-called-elephant-recently-its-not-stylish-in-the/) [Tinie Tempah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinie-tempah/) > [I have a daughter in college myself. It's an expensive thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/i-have-a-daughter-in-college-myself-it-s-an-expensive-thing/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) > [The creatives, they want to connect with people. These artists, the clothing designers, they want to connect with people the same way that music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/the-creatives-they-want-to-connect-with-people-these-artists-the/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [We blacks were the first people embracing Obama, long before the people at expensive fundraisers were supporting him. We gave him his first love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-blacks-were-the-first-people-embracing-obama-long-before-the/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [I don't really buy expensive clothes. I love good bags!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-siriano/i-don-t-really-buy-expensive-clothes-i-love-good-bags/) [Christian Siriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-siriano/) > [It's expensive to shoot on film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-glusman/it-s-expensive-to-shoot-on-film/) [Karl Glusman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-glusman/) > [There are a number of much less expensive alternatives to detaining immigrants than locking them up somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/there-are-a-number-of-much-less-expensive-alternatives-to-detaining/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [It was doing very well; it was doing particularly well outside of England. It was a very big seller for Carlton Television. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jacobi/it-was-doing-very-well-it-was-doing-particularly-well-outside-of/) [Derek Jacobi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jacobi/) > [Once I got a guitar that was relatively user-friendly, but not super-duper easy, I really came on as a guitarist, at that point. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/once-i-got-a-guitar-that-was-relatively-user-friendly-but-not-super/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [My beloved dog defied treatment from the best and most expensive veterinarians, holistic practitioners, trainers, and animal communicators. He was simply beyond my ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/my-beloved-dog-defied-treatment-from-the-best-and-most-expensive/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [Naval dominance of European waters was the largest, longest, most complex and expensive project ever undertaken by the British state and society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-rodger/naval-dominance-of-european-waters-was-the-largest-longest-most/) [Nicholas Rodger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-rodger/) > [“I can see why they say golf is an expensive sport to play. If you have to drop a nickel on the green every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-can-see-why-they-say-golf-is-an-expensive-sport-to-play-if-you-have/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) [Browse all 1,662 Expensive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expensive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievious ones.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and-very-mischievious-ones/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expensive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and-very-mischievious-ones/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3c/benjamin-franklin-65_expensive_all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and_2271191.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3c/benjamin-franklin-65_expensive_all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and_2271191.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3c/benjamin-franklin-65_expensive_all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and_2271191.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievious ones.” — Benjamin Franklin", "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": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“All wars are follies, very expensive...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and-very-mischievious-ones/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/all-wars-are-follies-very-expensive-and-very-mischievious-ones/#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 } } ] } ```