--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the true lesson of our history…" description: "\"This is the true lesson of our history: war, preparation for war, and foreign military interventions have served for the most part not to protect us, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/robert-higgs-12637_economic_this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-w_569676.jpg" --- # This is the true lesson of our history: war, preparation… ![“This is the true lesson of our history: war, preparation for war, and foreign military interventions have served for the most part not to protect us, as we are constantly told, but rather to sap our economic vitality and undermine our civil and economic liberties.” quote by Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/robert-higgs-12637_economic_this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-w_569676.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/robert-higgs-12637_economic_this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-w_569676.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/robert-higgs-12637_economic_this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-w_569676.jpg) > “This is the true lesson of our history: war, preparation for war, and foreign military interventions have served for the most part not to protect us, as we are constantly told, but rather to sap our economic vitality and undermine our civil and economic liberties.” [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War and interventions often drain resources and erode freedoms rather than providing security, highlighting hidden costs of militarism. **In simple terms:** War harms economies and liberties. Key Takeaway Question the true cost of conflict. Themes politics economics freedom Mood critical concerned Type analytical political When to use this quote - policy debates - public budgeting - activism Key Concepts Militarism Resource allocation Civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives exist for national security? - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? A Different Perspective Security concerns sometimes justify actions despite costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Intervention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intervention/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Military intervention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-intervention/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Vitality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vitality/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I think nowadays economic liberties are an explosive issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-bonino/i-think-nowadays-economic-liberties-are-an-explosive-issue/) [Emma Bonino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-bonino/) > [The foundations of liberty are private property and the rule of law; this system guarantees the fewest possible forms of injustice, produces the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/the-foundations-of-liberty-are-private-property-and-the-rule-of-law/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [In U.S. history, war has served as an important diversionary tactic, causing the people at large to shift their attention away from the state's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/in-u-s-history-war-has-served-as-an-important-diversionary-tactic/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [“Politicians were beginning to realize that if one cannot have the glory of successful war on foreign soil, one can do almost as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-fast/politicians-were-beginning-to-realize-that-if-one-cannot-have-the/) [Howard Fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-fast/) > [War against a foreign country only happens when the moneyed classes think they are going to profit from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/war-against-a-foreign-country-only-happens-when-the-moneyed-classes/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Peter had spent his whole life in a town where fights were either drunken and friendly, or silent and petty. True war was foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-auxier/peter-had-spent-his-whole-life-in-a-town-where-fights-were-either/) [Jonathan Auxier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-auxier/) > [I was never informed in advance about the start of the war or about foreign political developments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-sauckel/i-was-never-informed-in-advance-about-the-start-of-the-war-or-about/) [Fritz Sauckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-sauckel/) > [From religion ... they will learn the only true lesson of equality - the conviction that our destinies are not in our own hands;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/from-religion-they-will-learn-the-only-true-lesson-of-equality-the/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [“Expect nothing and appreciate the value of everything; this is the true lesson of the Rule of Acceptance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tlanusta-garrett/expect-nothing-and-appreciate-the-value-of-everything-this-is-the/) Michael Tlanusta Garrett > [Too much credit is given to the end result. The true lesson is in the struggle that takes place between the dream and reality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/too-much-credit-is-given-to-the-end-result-the-true-lesson-is-in-the/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [“Later he decided the specifics were not important, that the true lesson of accidents is not the how or the why, but the taken-for-granted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/later-he-decided-the-specifics-were-not-important-that-the-true/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [My home policy: I wage war; my foreign policy: I wage war. All the time I wage war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-clemenceau/my-home-policy-i-wage-war-my-foreign-policy-i-wage-war-all-the-time-i/) [Georges Clemenceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-clemenceau/) > [The true lesson of the Vietnam War is: certainty of purpose and ruthlessness of execution win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-true-lesson-of-the-vietnam-war-is-certainty-of-purpose-and/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“There is no lie in war or preparation of war that can't be defended. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-no-lie-in-war-or-preparation-of-war-that-can-t-be-defended/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [War, and the preparation for war, are the two greatest obstacles to human progress, fostering a vicious cycle of arms buildups, violence and poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/war-and-the-preparation-for-war-are-the-two-greatest-obstacles-to/) [Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) ## More by Robert Higgs > [Recipients of transfers set a bad example for others, including their children, other relatives, and friends, who see that one can receive goods, services,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/recipients-of-transfers-set-a-bad-example-for-others-including-their/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [In debates between anarchists and statists, the burden of proof clearly should rest on those who place their trust in the state. Anarchy's mayhem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/in-debates-between-anarchists-and-statists-the-burden-of-proof/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [“Anarchists did not try to carry out genocide against the Armenians in Turkey; they did not deliberately starve millions of Ukrainians; they did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/anarchists-did-not-try-to-carry-out-genocide-against-the-armenians-in/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [We need to have a modicum of faith in people's common sense, creativity and will to survive and prosper even in the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/we-need-to-have-a-modicum-of-faith-in-people-s-common-sense/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [To continue on the road we Americans have traveled for the past century is ultimately to deliver ourselves completely into the hands of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/to-continue-on-the-road-we-americans-have-traveled-for-the-past/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [Inflation is not a benign element in the economy's operation. It is, as it has always been, the most dangerous and destructive form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/inflation-is-not-a-benign-element-in-the-economy-s-operation-it-is-as/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [Until the 1930s, the Constitution served as a major constraint on federal economic interventionism. The government's powers were understood to be just as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/until-the-1930s-the-constitution-served-as-a-major-constraint-on/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [No doubt, anarchy, once established, might not last forever. But if your house is on fire, the sensible course of action is to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/no-doubt-anarchy-once-established-might-not-last-forever-but-if-your/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [By adopting programs to distribute substantial amounts of income, a nation guarantees that its government will become more powerful and invasive in other ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/by-adopting-programs-to-distribute-substantial-amounts-of-income-a/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [All nonstate threats to life, liberty, and property appear to be relatively petty and therefore can be dealt with. Only states can pose truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/all-nonstate-threats-to-life-liberty-and-property-appear-to-be/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [Liberty in the United States will never be reestablished so long as elites and masses alike look to the president to perform supernatural feats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/liberty-in-the-united-states-will-never-be-reestablished-so-long-as/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [The beginning of political wisdom is the realization that despite everything you’ve always been taught, the government is not really on your side; indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/the-beginning-of-political-wisdom-is-the-realization-that-despite/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [“When the contentious questions are mainly economic (put aside such inflammatory but mainly noneconomic matters as capital punishment or abortion) they tend to fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/when-the-contentious-questions-are-mainly-economic-put-aside-such/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [For members of the political class, the crucial question is always: how can we push out the frontier, how can we augment the government's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/for-members-of-the-political-class-the-crucial-question-is-always-how/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [But politicians who talk about failed policies are just blowing smoke. Government policies succeed in doing exactly what they are supposed to do: channeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/but-politicians-who-talk-about-failed-policies-are-just-blowing-smoke/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) [Explore all 54 Robert Higgs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) ## More Economic quotes > [It makes no sense to talk of the social obligations of the corporation without reference to its economic obligations. The two are intertwined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-r-raymond/it-makes-no-sense-to-talk-of-the-social-obligations-of-the/) [Lee R. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-r-raymond/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. ... But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/) [Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. A. Harper > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/business-school-graduates-from-the-best-schools-earn-large-salaries/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [In short, both experience and economic theory imply that the US could now t to a more competitive dollar without experiencing either increased inflation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-feldstein/in-short-both-experience-and-economic-theory-imply-that-the-us-could/) [Martin Feldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-feldstein/) > [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) Browse all 6,235 Economic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is the true lesson of our history: war, preparation for war, and foreign military interventions have served for the most part not to protect us, as we are constantly told, but rather to sap our economic vitality and undermine our civil and economic liberties.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Higgs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-war-preparation-for-war-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Economic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-war-preparation-for-war-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/robert-higgs-12637_economic_this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-w_569676.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/robert-higgs-12637_economic_this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-w_569676.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/robert-higgs-12637_economic_this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-w_569676.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is the true lesson of our history: war, preparation for war, and foreign military interventions have…” — Robert Higgs", "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": "Robert Higgs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This is the true lesson of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-war-preparation-for-war-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/this-is-the-true-lesson-of-our-history-war-preparation-for-war-and/#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 } } ] } ```