War is a Racket by Smedley Butler

For questions, comments or to get involved, e-mail us at audibleanarchist(at)gmail.com While far from an Anarchist former Marine General Smedley Butler composed a speech in his twilight years that proved to be a damning criticism of militarism, imperialism and the capitalist system that enables and profits from them. Read the speech at Marine Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler's expose of American Corporate Imperialism. Butler said, “I served in all commissioned ranks from second lieutenant to Major General. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street, and for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism. I suspected I was just part of the racket all the time. Now I am sure of it.”

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War is a Racket by Smedley Butler is an episode from Audible Anarchism by audibleanarchism.

This episode is 60:42 long.

This episode was published on Apr 14, 2026.

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