Country Quote by Smedley Butler
“Only those who would be called upon to risk their lives for their country should have the privilege of voting to determine whether the nation should go to war.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Senate Testimony, 1935, United States
Only citizens willing to sacrifice their lives for the nation should decide on war, emphasizing responsibility over entitlement.
In simple terms: Only those who risk their lives should vote on war.
Key Takeaway
Link voting rights to willingness to serve.
Themes
civic duty
war
responsibility
democracy
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- military service
- national policy debates
- elections
- public discourse
Key Concepts
social contract
citizen-soldier
political legitimacy
Questions to Reflect On
- Should voting rights be tied to military service?
- How to ensure all citizens have a voice in war decisions?
A Different Perspective
Excludes those who cannot serve, potentially disenfranchising non‑combatants.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
