# Militarism and the State in Moribund Society and Anarchy

> Theme guide for Moribund Society and Anarchy by Jean Grave.

Militarism is portrayed as a tool of the ruling class to suppress dissent and protect capital, with the army serving as an instrument of oppression rather than defense of the people.

## Where it surfaces

- [XI: “The Country”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moribund_society_and_anarchy_se/chapters/xi-the-country): The chapter argues that the military caste and standing armies are tools for preserving bourgeois authority, and that wars are fought for capitalist profit.
- [XII: The Patriotism of the Governing Classes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moribund_society_and_anarchy_se/chapters/xii-the-patriotism-of-the-governing-classes): The chapter argues that war is a tool of the governing class to maintain power, suppress opposition, and generate profits, exposing the state's militarism as a class interest.
- [XIII: Militarism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moribund_society_and_anarchy_se/chapters/xiii-militarism): The chapter is a direct critique of militarism as a tool of state control, portraying the army as a corrupting institution that destroys individual dignity and autonomy.
- [Colonization](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moribund_society_and_anarchy_se/chapters/xiv-colonization): The chapter exposes how the state uses military force to colonize, maintain armies, and brutalize soldiers, all in service of the ruling class.
- [XV: There Are No Inferior Races](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moribund_society_and_anarchy_se/chapters/xv-there-are-no-inferior-races): Critique of colonial violence and state-sponsored extermination of indigenous peoples under the guise of racial superiority.
- [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moribund_society_and_anarchy_se/chapters/endnotes): Translator's notes on army inspections, punishments, and the role of wax in military discipline illustrate the absurdity and control of military life.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moribund_society_and_anarchy_se/themes/militarism_and_the_state
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/moribund_society_and_anarchy_se/themes