Does War Make Money?

[Brother Rick]

I've heard it said that if you want to boost the economy, start a war. I don't understand this at all. Can someone explain? Does war do any good for a nation from the financial end? I suppose if you're selling weapons and supplies to another nation you might make money, but if you're spending the money for your own war I don't see how it can be profitable from a financial standpoint.

[John81]

Such depends upon the size and scope of the war.

Prior to the 20th century, a war could bring in large amounts of plunder and other commodoties and such which would enrich a victorious nation. That's not so much the case today. For instance, look at the American war in Iraq. What did we take from that war which could enrich us? Now, consider that if the Iraq war had been fought under the norms of the 18th or 19th century (for example) and America would have taken control of some or all the oil fields, grabbed up whatever gold and such that could be found, and set locals to work for pennies as a labor source for American interests in whatever part of the country America decided to hold onto.

Without gaining plunder, a war today would require such to be big enough to require a huge amount of material, and would probably also require that others on our side would need to buy the same, in order for such to have any chance of giving the country a significant boost.

Another part of the problem is that much of the manufcturing base in America no longer exists and therefore foreign countries would be getting much of the benefit from supplying war materials that America would have once received.

As it stands now, war is mostly a drain on America.

[Covenanter]

It boosts the economy at the expense of the tax-payer, Rick.
The armaments manufacturers & bankers win. The poor lose out - they always lose.

[irishman]

I agree with John81, the plunders of war used to be great. Remember when they found Hussein? They found the walls of His "office" or home lined with money, but you hear nothing of it now. Thousands of dollars that are unanswered for, most likely went into the pockets of the big shots (Covenenters post) and we do not control the oil fields there now either.

[John81]

One has to wonder, or probably should, if the world goes into a major recession or depression and times get extremely bad, who will be the first country to strike out and sieze some oil fields for themselves?

[Brother Rick]

One has to wonder, or probably should, if the world goes into a major recession or depression and times get extremely bad, who will be the first country to strike out and sieze some oil fields for themselves?

If that happens hopefully the U.S. is smart enough to drill here and drive the price of oil down. That would hurt Russia, China, and the Arab's economies. :clapping:

[John81]

If that happens hopefully the U.S. is smart enough to drill here and drive the price of oil down. That would hurt Russia, China, and the Arab's economies.

I would rather hope the U.S. would indeed drill here too, but also be one who siezed some oil fields as well.

[JerryNumbers]

War gets lots of people, business, rich. Just think of th work created in this country making war supplies.

And of course Russia went broke because of the cold war, trying to keep up and out maneuver this country.

War could break us, for we are already broke.

[John81]

War certainly isn't the answer today, and especially so since most wars engaged in in modern history are without focus and without bringing lasting gain to the country.

I've spoken with several Iraqi war veterans and the stories they tell from over there are horrible. They have nightmares over what they saw, what they had to do, what they were not allowed to do, and they can't understand why we are there wasting (their word) our blood and money.

[JerryNumbers]

I would rather hope the U.S. would indeed drill here too, but also be one who siezed some oil fields as well.

I feel we have to many laws, and those laws will keep drilling down here. Its got to the point, for oil wells to be drilled, power plants to be built, the cost the company has to spend in the courts against those that oppose them takes away all profits, plus the court might shut them down. So they will do most drilling in foreign land. We are not an oil friendly country, only a gas friendly country. There be other countries that knows where the butter that goes on their bread comes from, oil drilling, oil sales, so the country is oil friendly.

[Invicta]

I think it was Avro Manhattan who wrote that before WW2, the vatican was almost broke, but by the end of the war it was the richest organisation on earth.

[John81]

I think it was Avro Manhattan who wrote that before WW2, the vatican was almost broke, but by the end of the war it was the richest organisation on earth.

I don't know that the vatican has ever been almost broke once they began gathering plunder, tribute, collections and other matters early on. From what I've read however, the vatican did certainly add to their wealth during WWII as the RCC was as busy plundering across Europe as were the Nazis.