--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you thought the army was here…" description: "\"If you thought the army was here protecting people like yourself, I've some news for you, we're here to defend wealth.\" — Billy Bragg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/billy-bragg-8867_army_if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protect_2053873.png" --- # If you thought the army was here protecting people like… ![“If you thought the army was here protecting people like yourself, I've some news for you, we're here to defend wealth.” quote by Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/billy-bragg-8867_army_if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protect_2053873.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/billy-bragg-8867_army_if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protect_2053873.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/billy-bragg-8867_army_if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protect_2053873.png) > “If you thought the army was here protecting people like yourself, I've some news for you, we're here to defend wealth.” [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the military's role, suggesting it protects wealth rather than people. **In simple terms:** It claims the army defends money, not citizens. Key Takeaway Question the true purpose of institutions. Themes military economics politics Mood skeptical provocative Type political critical When to use this quote - public policy - social activism - economic inequality - national security Key Concepts critical theory power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports this view? - How can societies balance security and equity? A Different Perspective May generalize and ignore defensive duties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Globalization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/globalization/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [It's been my experience," he continued, "that when you're with the right people, you feel more like yourself than ever. There's a happiness, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chandler/it-s-been-my-experience-he-continued-that-when-you-re-with-the-right/) [Elizabeth Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chandler/) > [If you don't like your sister or don't get along with your father, let's find out if you like yourself. 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Whatever guitar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-auerbach/i-m-not-too-picky-about-guitars-i-love-to-collect-them-mostly/) [Dan Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-auerbach/) ## More by Billy Bragg > [In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who were involved in the struggle knew why they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/in-that-sense-i-became-politicized-because-the-people-in-the-coal/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [“A virtue never tested is no virtue at all. - Must I Paint You a Picture ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/a-virtue-never-tested-is-no-virtue-at-all-must-i-paint-you-a-picture/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [Never trust anyone who has no doubts. And I'm not talking about scepticism either: scepticism can be a healthy thing. You can have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/never-trust-anyone-who-has-no-doubts-and-i-m-not-talking-about/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [I'm trying to make a case for those people who don't have a sense of belonging that they should have, that there is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/i-m-trying-to-make-a-case-for-those-people-who-don-t-have-a-sense-of/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own personality traits. But for some reason, once they step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/there-are-quite-a-few-honest-songwriters-out-there-writing-about/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/the-evil-lot-who-did-that-thing-on-september-11-did-it-because-they/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [Certainly, the international image of the United States today is a lot less positive than 10 years ago. And that really shouldn't be, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/certainly-the-international-image-of-the-united-states-today-is-a-lot/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [I'd like to think that in a generation or two we'll have politicians whose life experience reflects that of the people who are voting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/i-d-like-to-think-that-in-a-generation-or-two-we-ll-have-politicians/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with the Clash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/i-came-into-this-whole-business-by-going-to-see-rock-against-racism/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [“Freedom is merely privilege extended Unless enjoyed by one and all. - The Internationale ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/freedom-is-merely-privilege-extended-unless-enjoyed-by-one-and-all/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [War what is it good for? It's good for business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/war-what-is-it-good-for-it-s-good-for-business/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) [Explore all 77 Billy Bragg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. 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I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. 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Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you thought the army was here protecting people like yourself, I've some news for you, we're here to defend wealth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Bragg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protecting-people-like-yourself-i-ve/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Army" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protecting-people-like-yourself-i-ve/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/billy-bragg-8867_army_if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protect_2053873.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/billy-bragg-8867_army_if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protect_2053873.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/billy-bragg-8867_army_if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protect_2053873.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you thought the army was here protecting people like yourself, I've some news for you, we're here to…” — Billy Bragg", "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": "Billy Bragg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you thought the army was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protecting-people-like-yourself-i-ve/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/if-you-thought-the-army-was-here-protecting-people-like-yourself-i-ve/#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 } } ] } ```