Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children . . . Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/chance.htm

Summary

This quote by former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower highlights the opportunity cost of warfare. It suggests that the resources used for weapons and military technology could be better utilized to address the basic needs of humanity: hunger, shelter, and clothing. By emphasizing the human cost of war, including the labor, innovation, and aspirations of its people, Eisenhower argues that a society focused on militarization diverts resources away from improving the human condition. It warns against the consequences of prioritizing military expenditures over the wellbeing and progress of its citizens.

Topics