--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We wake up to find the whole world…" description: "\"We wake up to find the whole world building competitive trade barriers, just as we found it a few years ago building competitive armaments. We are tryi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/owen-d-young-33818_armament_we-wake-up-to-find-the-whole-world-build_1367730.png" --- # We wake up to find the whole world building competitive… ![“We wake up to find the whole world building competitive trade barriers, just as we found it a few years ago building competitive armaments. We are trying to reduce armaments to preserve the world's solvency. We shall have to reduce competitive trade barriers to preserve the world's sanity. As…” quote by Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/owen-d-young-33818_armament_we-wake-up-to-find-the-whole-world-build_1367730.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/owen-d-young-33818_armament_we-wake-up-to-find-the-whole-world-build_1367730.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/owen-d-young-33818_armament_we-wake-up-to-find-the-whole-world-build_1367730.png) > “We wake up to find the whole world building competitive trade barriers, just as we found it a few years ago building competitive armaments. We are trying to reduce armaments to preserve the world's solvency. We shall have to reduce competitive trade barriers to preserve the world's sanity. As between the two, trade barriers are more destructive than armaments and more threatening to the peace of the world.” [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reducing trade barriers is less harmful than reducing armaments; both are needed for global stability, but trade barriers pose a greater threat. **In simple terms:** Trade barriers are more dangerous than weapons. Key Takeaway Prioritize lowering trade barriers. Themes economics peace policy global stability Mood analytical concerned Type policy economic commentary When to use this quote - government negotiations - UN conferences - economic reforms Key Concepts trade policy military spending international relations Questions to Reflect On - What balance should nations strike between trade openness and security? - How can trade policies be enforced globally? A Different Perspective Reducing trade barriers alone may not ensure peace without disarmament. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armament/) [Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Competitive Armaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive-armaments-4700909/) [Competitive Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive-trade-4700908/) [Destructive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destructive/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Preserves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preserves/) [Reduce Armaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reduce-armaments-4700911/) [Reduce Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reduce-competitive-4700910/) [Sanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanity/) [Threatening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threatening/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [Trade Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade-barriers-341811/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-up/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [Three year sof unconditional MFN have not lead to any subtantial improvement in human rights, trade and nuclear proliferation practice of the Chinese government.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/three-year-sof-unconditional-mfn-have-not-lead-to-any-subtantial/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Many people who have lost out in the last few decades voted for Trump. Trump will have a difficult time turning them into winners.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-bloom/many-people-who-have-lost-out-in-the-last-few-decades-voted-for-trump/) [Nicholas Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-bloom/) > [By reducing trade barriers, improving intellectual-property protections, and setting international rules of the road, TTIP has the potential to improve America and Europe's global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kaeser/by-reducing-trade-barriers-improving-intellectual-property/) [Joe Kaeser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kaeser/) > [On their own, tariff and trade barriers, if viewed as transitory negotiating tactics, will not significantly change global investment patterns or the structure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/on-their-own-tariff-and-trade-barriers-if-viewed-as-transitory/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [The WTO has outlived its usefulness as a setting for trade negotiations. It can still be a good place to resolve disputes (though this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-altman/the-wto-has-outlived-its-usefulness-as-a-setting-for-trade/) [Daniel Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-altman/) > [Reducing trade barriers with this key ally will go a long way toward increasing market access for American farmers, manufacturers and service providers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ramstad/reducing-trade-barriers-with-this-key-ally-will-go-a-long-way-toward/) [Jim Ramstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ramstad/) > [Pretty soon, we should see a few large regional blocs dominating global trade. The ones that lower trade barriers faster will grow faster...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-altman/pretty-soon-we-should-see-a-few-large-regional-blocs-dominating/) [Daniel Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-altman/) > [People say free trade causes dislocation. In actual fact, it's the lowering of trade barriers that causes the dislocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/people-say-free-trade-causes-dislocation-in-actual-fact-it-s-the/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [With the strong bipartisan rejection of the Dorgan amendment today, the Senate cast a vote in favor of the U.S. working to knock down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-portman/with-the-strong-bipartisan-rejection-of-the-dorgan-amendment-today/) [Rob Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-portman/) > [According to the Institute for International Economics, trade barriers cost American consumers $80 billion a year or more than $1,200 per family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/according-to-the-institute-for-international-economics-trade-barriers/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [Trade barriers constitute isolation; isolation gives rise to hatred, hatred to war, and war to invasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/trade-barriers-constitute-isolation-isolation-gives-rise-to-hatred/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Perhaps the removal of trade restrictions throughout the world would do more for the cause of universal peace than can any political union of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-chodorov/perhaps-the-removal-of-trade-restrictions-throughout-the-world-would/) [Frank Chodorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-chodorov/) > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 Owen D. Young > [When boasting ends, there dignity begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/when-boasting-ends-there-dignity-begins/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It is not the crook in modern business that we fear, but the honest man who doesn't know what he is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-is-not-the-crook-in-modern-business-that-we-fear-but-the-honest/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [The man who can put himself in the place of other men, who can understand the workings of their minds, need never worry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/the-man-who-can-put-himself-in-the-place-of-other-men-who-can/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [Government means politics, and interference by government carries with it always the implication of coercion. We may accept the expanding power of bureaucrats so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/government-means-politics-and-interference-by-government-carries-with/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It takes visions and courage to create. It takes faith and courage to prove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-takes-visions-and-courage-to-create-it-takes-faith-and-courage-to/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [Markets as well as mobs respond to human emotions; markets as well as mobs can be inflamed to their own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/markets-as-well-as-mobs-respond-to-human-emotions-markets-as-well-as/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [We are not to judge thrift solely by the test of saving or spending. If one spends what he should prudently save, that certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/we-are-not-to-judge-thrift-solely-by-the-test-of-saving-or-spending/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [Capital which overreaches for profits; labor which overreaches for wages, or a public which overreaches for bargains will all destroy such other. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/capital-which-overreaches-for-profits-labor-which-overreaches-for/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [I really believe that more harm is done by old men who cling to their influence than by young men who anticipate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/i-really-believe-that-more-harm-is-done-by-old-men-who-cling-to-their/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [What I am concerned about in this fast-moving world in a time of crises, both in foreign and domestic affairs, is not so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/what-i-am-concerned-about-in-this-fast-moving-world-in-a-time-of/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It takes vision and courage to create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-takes-vision-and-courage-to-create/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It takes vision and courage to create - it takes faith and courage to prove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-takes-vision-and-courage-to-create-it-takes-faith-and-courage-to/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [The world does not owe men a living, but business, if it is to fulfill its ideal, owes men an opportunity to earn a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/the-world-does-not-owe-men-a-living-but-business-if-it-is-to-fulfill/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) [Explore all 14 Owen D. Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "We wake up to find the whole world building competitive trade barriers, just as we found it a few years ago building competitive armaments. 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