--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kelso's proposals do promise to free us…" description: "\"Kelso's proposals do promise to free us from our morbid dependency on economic health through armament manufacture; they promise a way out of the welfa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/nicholas-von-hoffman-32722_armament_kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us_2881145.jpg" --- # Kelso's proposals do promise to free us from our morbid… ![“Kelso's proposals do promise to free us from our morbid dependency on economic health through armament manufacture; they promise a way out of the welfare mess, out of foodstamps and ship subsidies, out of perpetual inflation, and they suggest a means of doing these things without being too…” quote by Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/nicholas-von-hoffman-32722_armament_kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us_2881145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/nicholas-von-hoffman-32722_armament_kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us_2881145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/nicholas-von-hoffman-32722_armament_kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us_2881145.jpg) > “Kelso's proposals do promise to free us from our morbid dependency on economic health through armament manufacture; they promise a way out of the welfare mess, out of foodstamps and ship subsidies, out of perpetual inflation, and they suggest a means of doing these things without being too disruptive of the wealth of five percent of the population who own the rest of us.” [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hoffman argues that militarization offers a solution to economic dependency and social welfare issues, benefiting the elite while ignoring broader impacts. **In simple terms:** War is presented as an economic fix for the poor. Key Takeaway Critically assess the costs of militaristic policies. Themes economics military social welfare Mood skeptical analytical critical Type political economic When to use this quote - government budgeting - defense contracts - social safety nets - economic reform Key Concepts capitalism wealth inequality policy making public spending Questions to Reflect On - Is war a sustainable solution to poverty? - Who truly benefits from defense spending? A Different Perspective Militarization can exacerbate inequality and cause human suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armament/) [Dependency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependency/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Inflation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inflation/) [Liberalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberalism/) [Morbid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morbid/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Subsidies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subsidies/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [I took my mom from public housing, put her in the sticks. We came a long way from welfare and getting wick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meek-mill/i-took-my-mom-from-public-housing-put-her-in-the-sticks-we-came-a/) [Meek Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meek-mill/) > [“Promise them free goods, and they are yours to control.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wisehart/promise-them-free-goods-and-they-are-yours-to-control/) Michael Wisehart > [The one sure mark of a con, though, is the promise of free money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/the-one-sure-mark-of-a-con-though-is-the-promise-of-free-money/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [You can talk slick all the way down to the welfare. Ask the I.R.S. bitch I'm payin for ya health care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/you-can-talk-slick-all-the-way-down-to-the-welfare-ask-the-i-r-s/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [Do not fear or misunderstand when the Government say they are looking to our defences. I give you my word that there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-baldwin/do-not-fear-or-misunderstand-when-the-government-say-they-are-looking/) [Stanley Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-baldwin/) > [Every time we hold our tongues instead of returning the sharp retort, show patience with another's faults, show a little more love and kindness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-foster/every-time-we-hold-our-tongues-instead-of-returning-the-sharp-retort/) Connie Foster > [For India to enter into the race for armaments is to court suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/for-india-to-enter-into-the-race-for-armaments-is-to-court-suicide/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [It is idle to say that nations can struggle to outdo each other in building armaments and never use them. History demonstrates the contrary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-kellogg/it-is-idle-to-say-that-nations-can-struggle-to-outdo-each-other-in/) [Frank B. Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-kellogg/) > [This is what I do know: A lie, however well-intended, can't prepare you for reality or change the world... To tell the truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/this-is-what-i-do-know-a-lie-however-well-intended-can-t-prepare-you/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [One of the primary necessities of the world for the maintenance of peace is the elimination of the frictions which arise from competitive armament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/one-of-the-primary-necessities-of-the-world-for-the-maintenance-of/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [A people living under the perpetual menace of war and invasion is very easy to govern. It demands no social reform. It does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/a-people-living-under-the-perpetual-menace-of-war-and-invasion-is/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [For ISIS, the answer is to cut off their food, their water, their armaments, you know, and their funding. I don't mean literally their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/for-isis-the-answer-is-to-cut-off-their-food-their-water-their/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-chirac/what-is-at-stake-is-how-to-answer-the-potential-threat-iraq/) [Jacques Chirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-chirac/) > [That a modern battleship of 48,000 tons would have to defend itself against wood and fabric biplanes with its main armament was a salutary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hough/that-a-modern-battleship-of-48-000-tons-would-have-to-defend-itself/) Richard Hough > [These are the men who, without virtue, labour, or hazard, are growing rich, as their country is impoverished; they rejoice, when obstinacy or ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/these-are-the-men-who-without-virtue-labour-or-hazard-are-growing/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Nicholas von Hoffman > [Americans will quarrel over how, who, or what to rescue or save, but the idea that the nation ought to be off doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/americans-will-quarrel-over-how-who-or-what-to-rescue-or-save-but-the/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [We are the people are parents warned us against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/we-are-the-people-are-parents-warned-us-against/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [ ... Don \[Hewitt, 60 Minutes exec producer\] told me, "You have set broadcast journalism back 20 years." Naturally, I was both proud and elated… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/don-hewitt-60-minutes-exec-producer-told-me-you-have-set-broadcast/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [Taken as a whole the mass media seldom rises to the level of deplorable trash, but it is also true that there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/taken-as-a-whole-the-mass-media-seldom-rises-to-the-level-of/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [To its committed members (the Democratic Party) was still the party of heart, humanity, and justice, but to those removed a few paces it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/to-its-committed-members-the-democratic-party-was-still-the-party-of/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [Tens of billions ... are going into the pockets of tens of thousands of tax preparers who ... love complexity as much as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/tens-of-billions-are-going-into-the-pockets-of-tens-of-thousands-of/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [The blame for the maddening complications of the federal tax system goes to the people with the most money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/the-blame-for-the-maddening-complications-of-the-federal-tax-system/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [Foreign aid has been perfected so that it subsidizes corporate U.S. agriculture while preventing poor countries from developing profitable agriculture or feeding themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/foreign-aid-has-been-perfected-so-that-it-subsidizes-corporate-u-s/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [What the computer can do in art and design has turned aesthetics on its head... with the computer, things are not so much created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/what-the-computer-can-do-in-art-and-design-has-turned-aesthetics-on/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [In one of his puckish moods Saul talked the president of a university into letting him anonymously take an examination being administered to candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/in-one-of-his-puckish-moods-saul-talked-the-president-of-a-university/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [But if not Kelso, then something else, because a free people must own the nation they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/but-if-not-kelso-then-something-else-because-a-free-people-must-own/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [We preach free enterprise capitalism. We believe in it, we give our lives in war for it, but the closest most of us come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/we-preach-free-enterprise-capitalism-we-believe-in-it-we-give-our/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [The American government has been harvesting the Middle Eastern grapes of wrath for a generation and not making a secret of it, either. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/the-american-government-has-been-harvesting-the-middle-eastern-grapes/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) > [Some flag waving is good, a lot of flag waving is tolerable, incessant flag waving is crazy and dangerous and easily manipulated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/some-flag-waving-is-good-a-lot-of-flag-waving-is-tolerable-incessant/) [Nicholas von Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) [Explore all 15 Nicholas von Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/) ## More Armament quotes > [These are the men who, without virtue, labour, or hazard, are growing rich, as their country is impoverished; they rejoice, when obstinacy or ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/these-are-the-men-who-without-virtue-labour-or-hazard-are-growing/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That a modern battleship of 48,000 tons would have to defend itself against wood and fabric biplanes with its main armament was a salutary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hough/that-a-modern-battleship-of-48-000-tons-would-have-to-defend-itself/) Richard Hough > [What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-chirac/what-is-at-stake-is-how-to-answer-the-potential-threat-iraq/) [Jacques Chirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-chirac/) > [For ISIS, the answer is to cut off their food, their water, their armaments, you know, and their funding. I don't mean literally their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/for-isis-the-answer-is-to-cut-off-their-food-their-water-their/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [A people living under the perpetual menace of war and invasion is very easy to govern. It demands no social reform. It does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/a-people-living-under-the-perpetual-menace-of-war-and-invasion-is/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [One of the primary necessities of the world for the maintenance of peace is the elimination of the frictions which arise from competitive armament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/one-of-the-primary-necessities-of-the-world-for-the-maintenance-of/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [This is what I do know: A lie, however well-intended, can't prepare you for reality or change the world... To tell the truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/this-is-what-i-do-know-a-lie-however-well-intended-can-t-prepare-you/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [It is idle to say that nations can struggle to outdo each other in building armaments and never use them. History demonstrates the contrary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-kellogg/it-is-idle-to-say-that-nations-can-struggle-to-outdo-each-other-in/) [Frank B. Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-kellogg/) > [For India to enter into the race for armaments is to court suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/for-india-to-enter-into-the-race-for-armaments-is-to-court-suicide/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Every time we hold our tongues instead of returning the sharp retort, show patience with another's faults, show a little more love and kindness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-foster/every-time-we-hold-our-tongues-instead-of-returning-the-sharp-retort/) Connie Foster > [Do not fear or misunderstand when the Government say they are looking to our defences. I give you my word that there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-baldwin/do-not-fear-or-misunderstand-when-the-government-say-they-are-looking/) [Stanley Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-baldwin/) > [A program of "disarmament," while imperialist antagonisms survive, is the most pernicious of fictions. Even if it were realized by way of general agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/a-program-of-disarmament-while-imperialist-antagonisms-survive-is-the/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [In different countries the basis of resistance takes different forms, but it comes chiefly from the conservative groups. Hence it becomes increasingly difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/in-different-countries-the-basis-of-resistance-takes-different-forms/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [We are firmly convinced, and we act on that conviction, that with nations as with individuals our interests soundly calculated will ever be found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-are-firmly-convinced-and-we-act-on-that-conviction-that-with/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Disarmament or limitation of armaments, which depends on the progress made on security, also contributes to the maintenance of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/disarmament-or-limitation-of-armaments-which-depends-on-the-progress/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) [Browse all 123 Armament quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armament/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Kelso's proposals do promise to free us from our morbid dependency on economic health through armament manufacture; they promise a way out of the welfare mess, out of foodstamps and ship subsidies, out of perpetual inflation, and they suggest a means of doing these things without being too disruptive of the wealth of five percent of the population who own the rest of us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicholas von Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us-from-our-morbid-dependency-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Armament" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us-from-our-morbid-dependency-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/nicholas-von-hoffman-32722_armament_kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us_2881145.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/nicholas-von-hoffman-32722_armament_kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us_2881145.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e8/nicholas-von-hoffman-32722_armament_kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us_2881145.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Kelso's proposals do promise to free us from our morbid dependency on economic health through armament…” — Nicholas von Hoffman", "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": "Nicholas von Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-von-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Kelso's proposals do promise to free...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us-from-our-morbid-dependency-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-von-hoffman/kelso-s-proposals-do-promise-to-free-us-from-our-morbid-dependency-on/#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 } } ] } ```