Howard Zinn (1924 – 2010)
American historian, political scientist, playwright and social activist.
Not only did waging war against Hitler fail to save the Jews, it may be that the war itself brought on the Final Solution of genocide. This is not to remove the responsibility from Hitler and the Nazis, but there is much evidence that Germany's anti-Semitic actions, cruel as they were, would not have turned to mass murder were it not for the psychic distortions of war, acting on already distorted minds. Hitler's early aim was forced emigration, not extermination, but the frenzy of it created an atmosphere in which the policy turned to genocide.
Voting is easy and marginally useful, but it is a poor substitute for democracy, which requires direct action by concerned citizens.
One certain effect of war is to diminish freedom of expression. Patriotism becomes the order of the day, and those who question the war are seen as traitors, to be silenced and imprisoned.
Capitalism has always been a failure for the lower classes. It is now beginning to fail for the middle classes.