--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why spend money and blood to invade a…" description: "\"“Why spend money and blood to invade a country and plunder its treasure when you can just buy it from them at less expense and sell them some of your o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/steven-pinker-526_money_why-spend-money-and-blood-to-invade-a-co_2654569.jpg" --- # Why spend money and blood to invade a country and plunder… ![“Why spend money and blood to invade a country and plunder its treasure when you can just buy it from them at less expense and sell them some of your own?” quote by Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/steven-pinker-526_money_why-spend-money-and-blood-to-invade-a-co_2654569.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/steven-pinker-526_money_why-spend-money-and-blood-to-invade-a-co_2654569.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59d/steven-pinker-526_money_why-spend-money-and-blood-to-invade-a-co_2654569.jpg) > ““Why spend money and blood to invade a country and plunder its treasure when you can just buy it from them at less expense and sell them some of your own?”” [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence can be avoided by purchasing resources instead of invading, reducing bloodshed and expense. **In simple terms:** Buy instead of war. Key Takeaway Explore non‑violent alternatives to conflict. Themes ethics economics peace Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - business negotiations - international trade - diplomacy - humanitarian aid Key Concepts non‑violent exchange resource acquisition conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - Can markets replace war? - What ethical issues arise from buying peace? A Different Perspective Economic solutions may ignore power dynamics and exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blood Invade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood-invade-2377502/) [Country Plunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-plunder-2377498/) [Invade Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invade-country-1104437/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Plunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plunder/) [Plunder Treasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plunder-treasure-2377500/) [Spend money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-money/) ## Related quotes > [When the U.S. claims the right to invade any country unilaterally and then defines a country like Iran or North Korea as 'evil,' then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/when-the-u-s-claims-the-right-to-invade-any-country-unilaterally-and/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [The justification - the idea that we have a right to invade another country and determine another people's destiny - is frightening. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwidge-danticat/the-justification-the-idea-that-we-have-a-right-to-invade-another/) [Edwidge Danticat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwidge-danticat/) > [When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elayne-boosler/when-women-are-depressed-they-either-eat-or-go-shopping-men-invade/) [Elayne Boosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elayne-boosler/) > [“If a responsible, mentally sound American wants to own and AR-15, that’s their right. Besides, when the zombies come…okay, you don’t like the zombie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/if-a-responsible-mentally-sound-american-wants-to-own-and-ar-15-that/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [You can either invade a country or leave them alone and trade with them. When goods cross borders, armies don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/you-can-either-invade-a-country-or-leave-them-alone-and-trade-with/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) > [Stability is when the U.K. and U.S. invade a country and impose the regime of their choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/stability-is-when-the-u-k-and-u-s-invade-a-country-and-impose-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [You just don't invade another country on phony pretext in order to assert your interests!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/you-just-don-t-invade-another-country-on-phony-pretext-in-order-to/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [The people with the most resources are the federal government. If you can invade a country halfway across the world in a matter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/the-people-with-the-most-resources-are-the-federal-government-if-you/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elayne-boosler/when-women-are-depressed-they-eat-or-go-shopping-men-invade-another/) [Elayne Boosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elayne-boosler/) > [Roads, better harnesses for horses, time-keeping devices, financial instruments like a currency that was recognized everywhere in the kingdom, enforceable contracts - all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/roads-better-harnesses-for-horses-time-keeping-devices-financial/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Inflation is not caused by the actions of private citizens, but by the government: by an artificial expansion of the money supply required to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/inflation-is-not-caused-by-the-actions-of-private-citizens-but-by-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [They're counting on your patriotism to distract you from their plunder. They're counting on you to be standing at attention with your hand over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/they-re-counting-on-your-patriotism-to-distract-you-from-their/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) ## More by Steven Pinker > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Consistent style prevents presentation from getting in the way of content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/consistent-style-prevents-presentation-from-getting-in-the-way-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-supposedly-immaterial-soul-we-now-know-can-be-bisected-with-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I've never argued that humans are massively hot-wired. 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