Question for CEOs: Can Capitalism Survive Sans War?

[coberst]

Question for All CEOs: Can Capitalism Survive Sans War?

“The manufacture of dynamite increased from 11 tons in 1867, the year Nobel first put it on the market, to 66,500 tons in 1897…

To arm and equip mass armies required the efforts of mass industry and the munitions companies gathered under their control raw materials, mines, foundries and transportation. Markets and profits were almost limitless and they responded with fierce vigor to the incentive.” Patriotism in every country in Europe was at a fever pitch.

The “War to End All Wars” began in August 1914.

The 31 year war lasted from 1914 to 1945. After that ‘wonderful age for capitalism’ there was fear that peace might become infectious. Fortunately such was not the case.

Quotes from “The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the world before the War: 1890-1914”.

[anastrophe]

i don't see what this has to do with philosophy. simplistic ideological cant, sure, but philosophy? nope.

[coberst]

anastrophe wrote: i don't see what this has to do with philosophy. simplistic ideological cant, sure, but philosophy? nope.


Is ideology part of philosophy? I think so.

What is not the subject of philosophy? The assumptions of all sciences are the subject of philosophy.

Epistemology is certainly a subject of philosophy. Is an attempt to understand the intellectual nature of humanity a subject of philosophy?

Is philosophy only an academic play toy? It often seems so.

I think we should attempt to lead philosophy into the life of the community.

[anastrophe]

coberst wrote: Is ideology part of philosophy? I think so.



What is not the subject of philosophy? The assumptions of all sciences are the subject of philosophy.



Epistemology is certainly a subject of philosophy. Is an attempt to understand the intellectual nature of humanity a subject of philosophy?



Is philosophy only an academic play toy? It often seems so.



I think we should attempt to lead philosophy into the life of the community.


the study of ideology falls within philosophy. specific ideological cant does not.



since the notion that capitalism cannot survive without war is patently - provably - without merit, then it really belongs in the politics forum, or even the 'random jokes' forum.

[coberst]

anastrophe wrote: the study of ideology falls within philosophy. specific ideological cant does not.



since the notion that capitalism cannot survive without war is patently - provably - without merit, then it really belongs in the politics forum, or even the 'random jokes' forum.


I think that what you say has much merit. One can certainly conclude that my post belongs in other substantive categories.

I prefer to place this post in a forum that is more likely to treat it in a philosophical manner than in a political manner. Forums that attract the partisan and emotional minded cannot give this matter the kind of thought I am interested in.

I seek rational consideration rather than emotional partisanship. One cannot find rational consideration on a forum that attracts primarily partisan thinkers.

[anastrophe]

coberst wrote: I think that what you say has much merit. One can certainly conclude that my post belongs in other substantive categories.



I prefer to place this post in a forum that is more likely to treat it in a philosophical manner than in a political manner. Forums that attract the partisan and emotional minded cannot give this matter the kind of thought I am interested in.



I seek rational consideration rather than emotional partisanship. One cannot find rational consideration on a forum that attracts primarily partisan thinkers.


one doesn't approach a partisan issue, contending that one wants to approach it philosophically, by posting an excerpt that states as fact - emotionally and cynically so, as well - that which you're suggesting is in question.



i.e.



"After that ‘wonderful age for capitalism’ there was fear that peace might become infectious. Fortunately such was not the case."

[coberst]

anastrophe wrote: one doesn't approach a partisan issue, contending that one wants to approach it philosophically, by posting an excerpt that states as fact - emotionally and cynically so, as well - that which you're suggesting is in question.



i.e.



"After that ‘wonderful age for capitalism’ there was fear that peace might become infectious. Fortunately such was not the case."


Good point. Eliminating bias is a problem that must be continually worked at because we continually fail in complete the task.

[coberst]

I suspect there are many ways to view capitalism. Capitalism is a many faceted thing. I suggest we might look at it as an ideology and also as a logic.

I consider Wal-Mart as the manifestation of capitalistic logic; logic meaning the formal principles of a domain of knowledge. I cannot name the formal principles of capitalism I only know them in an informal way that, I suspect, most people do.

To say that Wal-Mart is the logic of capitalism is to say that Wal-Mart follows the principles of capitalism better than most other companies and proves that the logic of capitalism does lead to a profitable bottom line and super growth and dynamism.

Is war advantageous for a capitalistic society? I suspect that those of us who live in a capitalistic society who are the most capitalistic-like people would take some pleasure in the prospect of war or the preparation for war. The capitalist—those who have money to invest—make much money from war.

Those who do not have money to invest but work for a living would look with some pleasure at the prospect of good jobs and top wages. Those who already work in defense industries would find some pleasure in war and the preparation for war. I suspect only the ‘bleeding hearts’ and some highly religious minded would lose sleep over war; especially if other nations were at war and both sides bought from us.

The beauty of capitalism lies in its ideological characteristic. I suspect every capitalistic country has as its dominant ideology one that is dominated by the capitalistic worldview. I mean that the encompassing umbrella is the capitalistic world view.

In capitalistic countries, industry, with all of its power, money, and organization, generally determines the nation’s public and domestic policy. Industry has the money and organization to overcome any ideological competitor.

[coberst]

Diuretic wrote: If there was a war that worked for capitalism it was WWII. But it worked for the US, I can't say any other nation - on the winning side - did too well out of it financially. Financially WWII broke Britain and enriched the US and probably that was the event that saw the beginning of the end one empire and the ascendancy of another.


From my reading of WWI it appears that most wars are, in the begining, thought to be short and a quick win.

I think that the genius of capitalism lies in the efficiency of production and the nature of money exchange for produced items. Capitalism has a certain set of values and ignores others.

As we can see in the US when the numbers like GDP etc. are good then the economy is good. If these numbers are good and everyone is jobless the economy is still good.