--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is impossible now to estimate how much…" description: "\"“It is impossible now to estimate how much of the intellectual and physical energy of the world was wasted in military preparation and equipment, but i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/h-g-wells-2-1299_intelligent-man_it-is-impossible-now-to-estimate-how-muc_3126273.jpg" --- # It is impossible now to estimate how much of the… ![“It is impossible now to estimate how much of the intellectual and physical energy of the world was wasted in military preparation and equipment, but it was an enormous proportion. Great Britain spent upon army and navy money and capacity, that directed into the channels of physical culture and…” quote by H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/h-g-wells-2-1299_intelligent-man_it-is-impossible-now-to-estimate-how-muc_3126273.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/h-g-wells-2-1299_intelligent-man_it-is-impossible-now-to-estimate-how-muc_3126273.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e4/h-g-wells-2-1299_intelligent-man_it-is-impossible-now-to-estimate-how-muc_3126273.jpg) > ““It is impossible now to estimate how much of the intellectual and physical energy of the world was wasted in military preparation and equipment, but it was an enormous proportion. Great Britain spent upon army and navy money and capacity, that directed into the channels of physical culture and education would have made the British the aristocracy of the world. Her rulers could have kept the whole population learning and exercising up to the age of eighteen and made a broad-chested and intelligent man of every Bert Smallways in the islands, had they given the resources they spent in war material to the making of men. Instead of which they waggled flags at him until he was fourteen, incited him to cheer, and then turned him out of school to begin that career of private enterprise we have compactly recorded. France achieved similar imbecilities; Germany was, if possible worse; Russia under the waste and stresses of militarism festered towards bankruptcy and decay. All Europe was producing big guns and countless swarms of little Smallways.”” [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Massive war spending diverted resources from education and health, stunting societal development and individual potential. **In simple terms:** War wastes resources that could build people. Key Takeaway Redirect resources to education and health for stronger societies. Themes war economics education public health resource allocation Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical historical When to use this quote - government budgeting - military policy - public education reform - healthcare investment - youth development Key Concepts political economy human capital societal development Questions to Reflect On - What would a society look like with less military spending? - How can citizens influence resource allocation? A Different Perspective Peaceful alternatives may be politically challenging to implement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Intelligent man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-man/) [Militarism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/militarism/) [Militarism Festered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/militarism-festered-5510726/) [Stresses Militarism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stresses-militarism-5510725/) [Wasted Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasted-military-5510724/) [World Wasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-wasted-1528222/) ## Related quotes > [All the faith and good will in the world is wasted without direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-owens/all-the-faith-and-good-will-in-the-world-is-wasted-without-direction/) [Bill Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-owens/) > [“I wish for that time back. All that time that was supposed to be about discovering the world and who I was became wasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-jayne-crabbe/i-wish-for-that-time-back-all-that-time-that-was-supposed-to-be-about/) [Megan Jayne Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-jayne-crabbe/) > [Nothing we learn in this world is ever wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/nothing-we-learn-in-this-world-is-ever-wasted/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [If drama would be wodka, the world would be wasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-vdw/if-drama-would-be-wodka-the-world-would-be-wasted/) [Julie Vdw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-vdw/) > [“There were so many people in the world who wasted their aliveness, who hung back when they should reach out, who sat out when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-evans/there-were-so-many-people-in-the-world-who-wasted-their-aliveness-who/) [Jessie Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-evans/) > [If the past cannot teach the present and the father cannot teach the son, then history need not have bothered to go on, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-hoban/if-the-past-cannot-teach-the-present-and-the-father-cannot-teach-the/) [Russell Hoban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-hoban/) > [He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/he-who-joyfully-marches-to-music-in-rank-and-file-has-already-earned/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [We got a wonderful present from Stalin and Hitler that they never meant to give us. We were immune for 60 years or so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/we-got-a-wonderful-present-from-stalin-and-hitler-that-they-never/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [We have a very large military community - veterans and others - who basically do believe in the militarism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-malveaux/we-have-a-very-large-military-community-veterans-and-others-who/) [Julianne Malveaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-malveaux/) > [...The greatest bulwark of capitalism is militarism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-greatest-bulwark-of-capitalism-is-militarism/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“We have no managed to acquire bases all over the world—islands distant as the Australian Archipelago which President Roosevelt seized in 1938 without so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/we-have-no-managed-to-acquire-bases-all-over-the-world-islands/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [Where else could one find such a perfect combination of American values -- racism, militarism, capitalism -- all packaged in one 'ideal' symbol, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/where-else-could-one-find-such-a-perfect-combination-of-american/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [The experience of a lot of us women is that too much money is being spent on militarism and war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/the-experience-of-a-lot-of-us-women-is-that-too-much-money-is-being/) [Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/) > [Nationalism, on my opinion, is nothing more than an idealistic rationalization for militarism and aggression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nationalism-on-my-opinion-is-nothing-more-than-an-idealistic/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Nationalism and jingoism—essential corollaries of militarism—are also systemic imperatives because they divide the global working classes, and bind them to the elites oppressing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-derber/nationalism-and-jingoism-essential-corollaries-of-militarism-are-also/) [Charles Derber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-derber/) ## More by H.G. Wells > [“I was grotesque to the theatrical pitch, a stage miser, but I was certainly not a physical impossibility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-was-grotesque-to-the-theatrical-pitch-a-stage-miser-but-i-was/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Eight-and-twenty years,' said I, 'I have lived, and never a ghost have I seen as yet.' The old woman sat staring hard into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/eight-and-twenty-years-said-i-i-have-lived-and-never-a-ghost-have-i/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“That is the germ of my great discovery. But you are wrong to say that we cannot move about in Time. For instance, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/that-is-the-germ-of-my-great-discovery-but-you-are-wrong-to-say-that/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“What was needed now was not bravery, but circumspection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-was-needed-now-was-not-bravery-but-circumspection/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [ “The thing \[Henry James'\] novel is about is always there. It is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-thing-henry-james-novel-is-about-is-always-there-it-is-like-a/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Don't follow you,' said Filby.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/don-t-follow-you-said-filby/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“We must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only upon animals, such as vanished bison and the dodo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/we-must-remember-what-ruthless-and-utter-destruction-our-own-species/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-grieved-to-think-how-brief-the-dream-of-the-human-intellect-had/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Because this island is full of inimical phenomena.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/because-this-island-is-full-of-inimical-phenomena/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“What right have they to hope? They work ill and they want the reward of those who work well. The hope of mankind -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-right-have-they-to-hope-they-work-ill-and-they-want-the-reward/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“So long as you are alive you are just the moment, perhaps, but when you are dead then you are all your life from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/so-long-as-you-are-alive-you-are-just-the-moment-perhaps-but-when-you/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“An unpleasant odour would not be objected to, it is not objected to now in many continental hotels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/an-unpleasant-odour-would-not-be-objected-to-it-is-not-objected-to/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“In the early evening time Dr. Kemp was sitting in his study in the belvedere on the hill overlooking Burdock. It was a pleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/in-the-early-evening-time-dr-kemp-was-sitting-in-his-study-in-the/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“The whole world will be intelligent, educated, and co-operating; things will move faster and faster towards the subjugation of Nature. In the end, wisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-whole-world-will-be-intelligent-educated-and-co-operating-things/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“For three centuries the life of the Hebrews was like the life of a man who insists upon living in the middle of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/for-three-centuries-the-life-of-the-hebrews-was-like-the-life-of-a/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) [Explore all 246 H.G. Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## More Intelligent man quotes > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-intelligent-man-who-is-proud-of-his-intelligence-is-like-the/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Cynical realism is the intelligent man's best excuse for doing nothing in an intolerable situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/cynical-realism-is-the-intelligent-man-s-best-excuse-for-doing/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center. Big, undreamed-of things—the people on the edge see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/out-on-the-edge-you-see-all-kinds-of-things-you-can-t-see-from-the/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [“Knowledge as a past fact, as something dead and done with—knowledge by the time it gets into encyclopaedias and text-books—does consist of assertion, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-g-collingwood/knowledge-as-a-past-fact-as-something-dead-and-done-with-knowledge-by/) [R. G. Collingwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-g-collingwood/) > [ \[About Pierre de Fermat\] It cannot be denied that he has had many exceptional ideas, and that he is a highly intelligent man. For… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/about-pierre-de-fermat-it-cannot-be-denied-that-he-has-had-many/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [The intelligent man is one who has successfully fulfilled many accomplishments, and is yet willing to learn more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-parker/the-intelligent-man-is-one-who-has-successfully-fulfilled-many/) [Ed Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-parker/) > [The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow- witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-most-difficult-subjects-can-be-explained-to-the-most-slow-witted/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [A really intelligent man makes an indifferent painter. For painting requires a certain blindness, a partial refusal to be aware of all the options.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/a-really-intelligent-man-makes-an-indifferent-painter-for-painting/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [I'm an intelligent man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/i-m-an-intelligent-man/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [“If you were smart," Genghis said, "you would have borrowed the silverware of one of your friends." "We never thought of that," Klaus said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/if-you-were-smart-genghis-said-you-would-have-borrowed-the-silverware/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Speaking of which, about assuming you had a condom—I just meant that you, with your experience, would be prepared for responsible sex, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-pearce/speaking-of-which-about-assuming-you-had-a-condom-i-just-meant-that/) [Roberta Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-pearce/) > [How does it come about that what an intelligent man expresses is much stupider than what remains inside him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/how-does-it-come-about-that-what-an-intelligent-man-expresses-is-much/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [I think they must mix blood, otherwise the human race is bound to degenerate. Mixing blood is marvelous. It makes strong and intelligent men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-baker/i-think-they-must-mix-blood-otherwise-the-human-race-is-bound-to/) [Josephine Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-baker/) > [“The satires of Isaiah against the makers of idols of wood and gold apply just as much to the makers of conceptual idols. the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-le-saux/the-satires-of-isaiah-against-the-makers-of-idols-of-wood-and-gold/) [Henri Le Saux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-le-saux/) [Browse all 178 Intelligent man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is impossible now to estimate how much of the intellectual and physical energy of the world was wasted in military preparation and equipment, but it was an enormous proportion. 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