J.R. Part III.

This is coolbert:

Extracts taken from the original article of J.R. found here.

With regard to the danger war poses to the economy:

"Beyond this, both groups may face higher taxes, lower incomes, fewer government services, and higher interest rates in future decades due to the government debts incurred to develop, manufacture, and deploy the systems, plus whatever bills come due regarding the safe disposal of related dangerous materials long after the system itself has been declared obsolete, or outlawed by more enlightened parties or times

but also reduce the potential living standards of virtually everyone, relative to what they might be in the absence of such unproductive spending and debt growth.

Defense, intelligence, and security spending all tend to exert downward pressures on the living standards of average citizens, as such spending is not as efficient or productive as other types of expenditures, in general

Average living standards for civilians in a given military, intelligence, or security agency's host nation will by necessity be lower than they would be with less emphasis on such spending.

a larger number of scientists and engineers will be kept busy figuring out new and better ways of killing people (or making their lives harder) rather than keeping them alive, or making their lives easier.

For it's a simple economic fact that military spending is not as efficient or productive as other types of expenditures in general, and so must act as an absolute drag on economic growth and progress, compared to what would occur in its absence."

Military activity is a consumer of wealth while NOT producing wealth. It DOES consume prodigious amounts of wealth in all forms while being NOT a producer of wealth. Does NOT produce a product that intrinsic value to it. This IS SO!!

"The less money nations spend on their militaries and intelligence and security measures, the more they have for education, healthcare, and other social needs-- and/or, the lower the tax burden on average citizens can be; thus is nourished greater peace and prosperity for a people, while the making war is discouraged"

This is a point where J.R. and I are in TOTAL, 100 % agreement. War IS bad for the economy. Contrary to what the average American may believe.

coolbert.