--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must take the profit out of war." description: "\"We must take the profit out of war.\" — Smedley Butler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/smedley-butler-17291_must_we-must-take-the-profit-out-of-war-16110_1611014.png" --- # We must take the profit out of war. ![“We must take the profit out of war.” quote by Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/smedley-butler-17291_must_we-must-take-the-profit-out-of-war-16110_1611014.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/smedley-butler-17291_must_we-must-take-the-profit-out-of-war-16110_1611014.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/smedley-butler-17291_must_we-must-take-the-profit-out-of-war-16110_1611014.png) > “We must take the profit out of war.” [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that war profits the few while harming many, urging removal of financial incentives from conflict. **In simple terms:** War profits the few. Key Takeaway Eliminate profit motive. Themes anti‑war economics ethics Mood critical urgent Type political philosophical When to use this quote - political activism - policy reform Key Concepts military‑industrial complex social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can societies reduce war profiteering? - What alternatives to militarized profit exist? A Different Perspective Profit motives can be deeply entrenched. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Profit War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit-war-1954358/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [War is a racket. It always has been... A few profit - and the many pay. But there is a way to stop it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-a-racket-it-always-has-been-a-few-profit-and-the-many-pay-but/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [A few profit - and the many pay. But there is a way to stop it. You can't end it by disarmament conferences. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/a-few-profit-and-the-many-pay-but-there-is-a-way-to-stop-it-you-can-t/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [War is never economically beneficial except for those in position to profit from war expenditures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/war-is-never-economically-beneficial-except-for-those-in-position-to/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The only way to achieve a practical, livable peace in a world of competing nations is to take the profit out of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-only-way-to-achieve-a-practical-livable-peace-in-a-world-of/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The Republicans and Democrats profit from war and sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-ayyadurai/the-republicans-and-democrats-profit-from-war-and-sickness/) [Shiva Ayyadurai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-ayyadurai/) > [Show me who makes a profit from war, and I'll show you how to stop the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/show-me-who-makes-a-profit-from-war-and-i-ll-show-you-how-to-stop-the/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [If you took the profit out of war, there would be no war. What the hell do you think war is? You think we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/if-you-took-the-profit-out-of-war-there-would-be-no-war-what-the-hell/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [I guess if people couldn't profit from war I don't think there would be war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-guess-if-people-couldn-t-profit-from-war-i-don-t-think-there-would/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I hate canceling anything, I'm 'the show must go on' mentality. If you can crawl, you can take the stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/i-hate-canceling-anything-i-m-the-show-must-go-on-mentality-if-you/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [Writers must... take care of the sensibility that houses the possibility of poems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/writers-must-take-care-of-the-sensibility-that-houses-the-possibility/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [Liberalism, on the other hand, regards life as an adventure in which we must take risks in new situations, in which there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-raphael-cohen/liberalism-on-the-other-hand-regards-life-as-an-adventure-in-which-we/) [Morris Raphael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-raphael-cohen/) > [People will sell you out for profit, that's just how people are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koena-mitra/people-will-sell-you-out-for-profit-that-s-just-how-people-are/) [Koena Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koena-mitra/) > [In January 2012, Google Plus started to roll out support for nicknames and pseudonyms, but those registering with a name other than their real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/in-january-2012-google-plus-started-to-roll-out-support-for-nicknames/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [I know that when a fighter is out of the ring for more than two years, when he comes back he isn't the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-hagler/i-know-that-when-a-fighter-is-out-of-the-ring-for-more-than-two-years/) [Marvin Hagler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-hagler/) ## More by Smedley Butler > [War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-just-a-racket-a-racket-is-best-described-i-believe-as/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-helped-make-mexico-especially-tampico-safe-for-american-oil/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [“I spent thirty-three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-spent-thirty-three-years-and-four-months-in-active-military-service/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/only-those-who-would-be-called-upon-to-risk-their-lives-for-their/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [One hundred and twenty Marines were detailed to officer a force of twenty-six hundred Haitians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/one-hundred-and-twenty-marines-were-detailed-to-officer-a-force-of/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [I served in all commissioned ranks from a second Lieutenant to a Major General. And during that time, I spent most of my time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-served-in-all-commissioned-ranks-from-a-second-lieutenant-to-a/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-a-racket-it-always-has-been-it-is-possibly-the-oldest-easily/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [“WAR is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-a-racket-it-always-has-been-it-is-possibly-the-oldest-easily-2/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of the higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/my-mental-faculties-remained-in-suspended-animation-while-i-obeyed/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [We must permit the youth of the land who would bear arms to decide whether or not there should be war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/we-must-permit-the-youth-of-the-land-who-would-bear-arms-to-decide/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [Why don't those damn oil companies fly their own flags on their personal property-maybe a flag with a gas pump on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/why-don-t-those-damn-oil-companies-fly-their-own-flags-on-their/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [I served in all commissioned ranks from second lieutenant to major general. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-served-in-all-commissioned-ranks-from-second-lieutenant-to-major/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of the higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/my-mental-faculties-remained-in-suspended-animation-while-i-obeyed-2/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/the-trouble-with-america-is-that-when-the-dollar-only-earns-6-percent/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [War Is A Racket : I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/war-is-a-racket-i-suspected-i-was-just-part-of-a-racket-at-the-time/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) [Explore all 37 Smedley Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) ## More Must quotes > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. 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