I recently read an interview where Lennon acknowledged that this song was simple minded nonsense and he came across as having some common sense. But treating artists as serious thinkers is a fool’s errand for the most part.
Yes, but they are the philosophical thought leaders of our day...like it or not.
That’s how I see it too. An artist kinda singing “it would be nice if there wasn’t suffering and killing”. And kinda taking a few jabs at some of the motivations of that. At the time nations,,,big check. At the time religion, big check with Iran, northern Ireland, etc.
I think you’re on the right track, this wasn’t deep political philosophy here.