Armies Quote by Emma Goldman
“You cannot build up a standing army and then throw it back into a box like tin soldiers. Armies equipped to the teeth with weapons, with highly developed instruments of murder and backed by their military interests, have their own dynamic functions.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: The Future of War, 1915
Militaries become self‑perpetuating machines, detached from human purpose, driven by industrial interests.
In simple terms: Armies become autonomous, driven by profit.
Key Takeaway
Question the role of military power in society.
Themes
war
military-industrial complex
automation
power
Mood
critical
urgent
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debate
- activism
- education
Key Concepts
political economy
technology studies
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies reduce militaristic momentum?
- What alternatives to armed force exist?
A Different Perspective
Complex geopolitics may resist change.
![“This [a state militia system] appears to me the only substitute that can be devised for a standing army, and the best possible security against it, if it should exist.” quote by Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/86a/alexander-hamilton-619_2-amendment_this-a-state-militia-system-appears-to-m_756387.jpg)
