Two Somewhat Unconnected Thoughts
1--
We've all seen this argument (that warfare drives other societal processes) before, but one aspect of it that I have not seen sufficiently reviewed is the level to which military spending leads to overall economic health. Is it possible that the huge military expenditures of the Cold War was a contributing (or determining factor) of the United State's lead over the rest of the world in the economies of technology, currency and information?
I've seen this theory before, but it's never gotten much past the 1980's, when a recession coincided with increased military spending, undermining the basic principle. An update, including the overall effects of military technology trickle-down into the civilian economy would be interesting. Could it be that the huge and expanding military budget is important (even vital) to the health of the North American integrated economy? This would be a sad case for the Progressive movement's efforts to reduce military spending. I hope no neo-cons read this page.
2--
As far as tracing references go, I realized this morning that because of the date-stamp on this blog, and the date-stamps I've put into my reading list, it's possible to figure out what I've been reading, and re-reference myself to the specific work that may have sparked the comment or idea, without necessarily having a quote in the blog post itself. This is one of the benefits that Jon's been noticing recently, one of those little invisible coincidences that opens up new possibilities for using the technology.
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[1] Lewis Mumford. Technics and Civilization. 89.
"The topographic survey, the use of maps, the plan of campaigns -- long before business men devised organization charts and sales charts -- the coordination of transport, supply, and production [mutilation and destruction], the broad divisions of labor between cavalry, infantry, and artillery, and the division of the process of production between each of these branches; finally, the distinction of function between staff and field activites -- all these characteristics put warfare far in advance of competitive business and handicraft, with their petty, empirical and short-sighted methods of preparation and operation. [1]"
We've all seen this argument (that warfare drives other societal processes) before, but one aspect of it that I have not seen sufficiently reviewed is the level to which military spending leads to overall economic health. Is it possible that the huge military expenditures of the Cold War was a contributing (or determining factor) of the United State's lead over the rest of the world in the economies of technology, currency and information?
I've seen this theory before, but it's never gotten much past the 1980's, when a recession coincided with increased military spending, undermining the basic principle. An update, including the overall effects of military technology trickle-down into the civilian economy would be interesting. Could it be that the huge and expanding military budget is important (even vital) to the health of the North American integrated economy? This would be a sad case for the Progressive movement's efforts to reduce military spending. I hope no neo-cons read this page.
2--
As far as tracing references go, I realized this morning that because of the date-stamp on this blog, and the date-stamps I've put into my reading list, it's possible to figure out what I've been reading, and re-reference myself to the specific work that may have sparked the comment or idea, without necessarily having a quote in the blog post itself. This is one of the benefits that Jon's been noticing recently, one of those little invisible coincidences that opens up new possibilities for using the technology.
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[1] Lewis Mumford. Technics and Civilization. 89.