Core Argument

Butler opens with his famous line:

“War is a racket.  It always has been.  It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious.”

He defines a racket as something that is “not what it seems to the majority of people”—conducted for the benefit of a few at the expense of the many.

Key Points from the Book

·         Profits for the Few, Costs for the Many

o   Corporations supplying steel, munitions, and food made astronomical profits during WWI.

Butler cites figures: some companies saw profits increase by 1,700% during the war.

·         The Human Price

o   Soldiers pay with their lives.

o   Taxpayers fund the war machine, while elites reap dividends.

·         The Illusion of Defense

Butler argues that most wars are not defensive but are driven by economic interests—markets, resources, and corporate contracts.

·         Proposed Reforms
  Butler suggests radical measures:

o   Vote before war: Require a national referendum, with those who fight casting the deciding vote.

o   Cap profits: Limit corporate earnings during wartime to the same level as peacetime.

o   Demobilize industry: Remove the profit motive from war entirely.

Butler and Eisenhower: Two Warnings, One Problem

Twenty-five years later, President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his farewell address in 1961, coining the term “military-industrial complex.” His warning echoed Butler’s critique:

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”

Both men saw the same structural danger:

• Butler (1935): War is driven by profit motives, enriching corporations at the expense of soldiers and taxpayers.
• Eisenhower (1961): A permanent arms industry, combined with political influence, could distort national priorities and undermine democracy.

Key Difference:
Butler spoke as a soldier-turned-whistleblower; Eisenhower spoke as a President and strategist.  Both warned that unchecked economic incentives could hijack national security policy.

Modern Reality:
Today, defense contractors spend billions on lobbying, and U.S. defense budgets remain among the largest in History—even in peacetime.  The “complex” Eisenhower feared is now deeply entrenched, validating Butler’s early alarm.

Why It Still Resonates

Butler’s critique foreshadowed a permanent war economy.  Today:

• Defense contractors wield enormous lobbying power.
• Wars and interventions often align with resource and strategic interests.
• Global arms trade remains a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Modern Parallels

• Iraq and Afghanistan: Trillions spent, with private contractors profiting from reconstruction and security contracts.
• Ukraine and Defense Spending: Surge in arms sales amid geopolitical crises.
• Permanent War Economy: Defense budgets rarely shrink—even in peacetime.

Takeaways for Readers

• Question narratives that frame war as inevitable or purely moral.
• Follow the money: who profits from conflict?
• Advocate for transparency in defense spending and lobbying.

Closing Thought

Butler’s words echo across decades:

“There are only two things we should fight for.  One is the defense of our homes, and the other is the Bill of Rights.”

Everything else, he argued, is a racket.