Continuous Warfare

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Apr 6, 2015 at 16:14

"The problem was how to keep the wheels of industry turning without increasing the real wealth of the world. Goods must be produced, but they must not be distributed. And in practice the only way of achieving this was by continuous warfare. The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labour. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent. Even when weapons of war are not actually destroyed, their manufacture is still a convenient way of expending labour power without producing anything that can be consumed."

-- Nineteen Eighty-four, by George Orwell, Chapter 9

Continuous warfare is distasteful to most people (you are likely included, Daniel); but it is indispensable for the main players in today's world system.

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