Every nation has its war party... It is commercial

Hear the solemn warning of Robert M. La Follette, who declared: “Every nation has its war party… It is commercial, imperialistic, ruthless. It tolerates no opposition.” These words, sharp as an iron blade, cut through the illusions that surround the banners of patriotism. They remind us that war does not spring only from necessity or defense, but often from the greed and ambition of powerful interests. And when this war party arises, it cloaks its hunger for profit and empire in the language of duty, demanding silence from all who would resist.

The origin of this saying lies in La Follette’s fiery opposition to America’s entry into World War I. As a senator, he stood almost alone in defying the tide of war fever that swept through the nation in 1917. He saw in the march to battle not the defense of liberty, but the influence of banks, corporations, and imperial ambitions seeking wealth and dominance under the guise of noble cause. For this defiance, he was vilified, called traitor, and nearly expelled from the Senate. Yet he did not falter, for he knew that the war party always thrives on silencing dissent.

The meaning of La Follette’s words is timeless. In every land and in every age, there are those who profit from war—arms merchants, imperial rulers, and ambitious politicians. They are commercial, for they see in war the chance to sell weapons, to seize markets, to enrich themselves upon the suffering of others. They are imperialistic, for they see in war the chance to expand dominion, to crush rivals, to grasp the wealth of weaker peoples. And they are ruthless, for they brook no hesitation, no question, no restraint. When the war party rises, it seeks not truth, but obedience.

Consider the tale of the Spanish-American War of 1898. It was stirred by cries of “Remember the Maine!” after a U.S. battleship exploded in Havana Harbor. Though the cause of the explosion was uncertain, the war party fanned the flames, eager for battle. Soon, America seized colonies from Cuba to the Philippines. For some, this was a war of liberation; for others, it was the birth of American empire. And those who questioned it were denounced as unpatriotic. This is the pattern La Follette spoke of: pretext, expansion, silence forced upon dissenters.

The lesson is clear: beware the voices that rush to war, especially when they demonize all opposition. For true patriotism is not blind obedience, but the courage to ask whether the cause is just, whether the sacrifice is necessary, whether the war is truly for defense or merely for profit. A people who forget this will find themselves led again and again into needless bloodshed, paying in lives and treasure for the ambitions of the few.

What, then, must we do? We must cultivate vigilance. We must study history, for the war party is clever and dresses itself in every generation with new disguises—sometimes as liberator, sometimes as protector, always as savior. We must defend the right to question, to debate, to oppose, even when the drums of war beat loudest. For when dissent is silenced, democracy itself is wounded, and the path to ruin lies open.

Therefore, let La Follette’s words endure as both shield and trumpet. Let them remind us that every nation has its war party, and that its power grows strongest when the people grow silent. Let us speak, then, with clarity and courage, weighing carefully the true reasons for conflict. Let us guard against the merchants of death and the empire-builders of every age. And let us labor for peace, knowing that the defense of freedom requires not only courage in battle, but courage in speech, in conscience, and in truth.