--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Modern wars as a rule have been caused by…" description: "\"“Modern wars as a rule have been caused by the commercial and financial rivalry and intrigues of the capitalist interests in the different countries. W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/john-harrison-nichols-66953_money_modern-wars-as-a-rule-have-been-caused-b_3059540.jpg" --- # Modern wars as a rule have been caused by the commercial… ![“Modern wars as a rule have been caused by the commercial and financial rivalry and intrigues of the capitalist interests in the different countries. Whether they have been frankly waged as wars of aggression or have been hypocritically represented as wars of “defense,” they have always been made…” quote by John Harrison Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/john-harrison-nichols-66953_money_modern-wars-as-a-rule-have-been-caused-b_3059540.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/john-harrison-nichols-66953_money_modern-wars-as-a-rule-have-been-caused-b_3059540.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/john-harrison-nichols-66953_money_modern-wars-as-a-rule-have-been-caused-b_3059540.jpg) > ““Modern wars as a rule have been caused by the commercial and financial rivalry and intrigues of the capitalist interests in the different countries. Whether they have been frankly waged as wars of aggression or have been hypocritically represented as wars of “defense,” they have always been made by the \[ruling\] classes and fought by The Masses. Wars bring wealth and power to the ruling classes, and suffering, death, and demoralization to the workers.”” John Harrison Nichols ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wars are driven by capitalist competition, serving ruling elites while exploiting the masses. **In simple terms:** War benefits the rich, harms the poor. Key Takeaway Question the motives behind conflicts. Themes power class struggle war economics Mood critical skeptical Type analytical historical When to use this quote - policy analysis - historical study - social activism - peace advocacy Key Concepts imperialism political economy mass exploitation Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports economic motives in modern conflicts? - How can societies resist elite-driven wars? A Different Perspective Not all wars fit this pattern; some arise from genuine security concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wars/) ## Related quotes > [Wars of aggression are popular nowadays with those nations convinced that only victory and conquest could improve their material well-being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/wars-of-aggression-are-popular-nowadays-with-those-nations-convinced/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [In the name of peace They waged the wars ain't they got no shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-giovanni/in-the-name-of-peace-they-waged-the-wars-ain-t-they-got-no-shame/) [Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-giovanni/) > [“Such brutishness was beyond the English capacity for tolerance. 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I can understand why men have waged wars over women in history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-petreschock/with-you-i-can-understand-why-men-have-waged-wars-over-women-in/) Melissa Petreschock > [ “\[Standing armies\] constantly threaten other nations with war by giving the appearance that they are prepared for it, which goads nations into competing with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/standing-armies-constantly-threaten-other-nations-with-war-by-giving/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Wars of aggression are the most barbarous of all human endeavors and are, more often than not, the instruments of insane tyrants who hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodrigue-tremblay/wars-of-aggression-are-the-most-barbarous-of-all-human-endeavors-and/) Rodrigue Tremblay > [“Peace builds, war destroys. Nations are fundamentally peaceful because they recognize the predominant utility of peace. They accept war only in self-defence; wars of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/peace-builds-war-destroys-nations-are-fundamentally-peaceful-because/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [It's hard to believe that these self-centered people have nuclear weapons that they can fire at any moment. Even modern wars are fought like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/it-s-hard-to-believe-that-these-self-centered-people-have-nuclear/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [Even modern wars are fought like revenge tales from some petty grievance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/even-modern-wars-are-fought-like-revenge-tales-from-some-petty/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [The modern wars are also omnipresent in our electronic media - to be cynical about it, we now have 24 hours of non-stop bloodshed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-abrams/the-modern-wars-are-also-omnipresent-in-our-electronic-media-to-be/) [Dave Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-abrams/) > [“if there is one lesson the Army has learned (or re-learned) in the past twelve years of war, it is this: the application of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-chang/if-there-is-one-lesson-the-army-has-learned-or-re-learned-in-the-past/) [Gordon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-chang/) > [The Great War differed from all ancient wars in the immense power of the combatants and their fearful agencies of destruction, and from all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-great-war-differed-from-all-ancient-wars-in-the-immense-power-of-2/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Our modern wars make many unhappy while they last and none happy when they are over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/our-modern-wars-make-many-unhappy-while-they-last-and-none-happy-when/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [People have always complained that we have made films ahead of times. 'Hum Dono' is still modern. We had wars then, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dev-anand/people-have-always-complained-that-we-have-made-films-ahead-of-times/) [Dev Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dev-anand/) > [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/) ## More by John Harrison Nichols > [“I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harrison-nichols/i-am-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-get-on-the-right-side-of-the-world/) John Harrison Nichols > [“Another woman has been arrested and thrown in jail because she refused to get up out of her seat on the bus for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harrison-nichols/another-woman-has-been-arrested-and-thrown-in-jail-because-she/) John Harrison Nichols > [“If Feingold does it, if he wins this race in this year, it will not be as just another Democratic senator. It will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harrison-nichols/if-feingold-does-it-if-he-wins-this-race-in-this-year-it-will-not-be/) John Harrison Nichols Explore all 4 John Harrison Nichols quotes ## More Money quotes > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. 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