Only a Pawn in Their Game Lyrics

Lyric discussion by MrMojoRisin5552 

Cover art for Only a Pawn in Their Game lyrics by Bob Dylan

This song is great, and shows how the government uses everybody as pawns in order for themselves to gain. The poor white man thinks he is better off, but in reality its only the authority that prospers. It's a lose-lose situation for everybody not in power.

This is an inaccurate interpretation of what Dylan is saying. See sp12342 post below.

@MrMojoRisin5552 On the other hand:

Yes, it's true that poor whites were a pawn in a larger game.

But were they only pawns?

Was it pre-ordained that the would hate and kill? Did they not ultimately have personal responsibility for their actions?

While the song lays bare the manipulation and social conditioning of the Old South, I've always felt there was at least a touch of irony in the repeated invocation of "only a pawn in their game".