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A perhaps unforeseen consequence of the development of nuclear weapons is the marked decrease in war deaths since their introduction at the end of world war 2 [
by JoeDaDude 10y ago
A perhaps unforeseen consequence of the development of nuclear weapons is the marked decrease in war deaths since their introduction at the end of world war 2 [0]. The Long Peace (as it is called in [1]) may be due to a number of other causes, but nuclear deterrence between the major powers has to be included as a factor. Of course, this decrease in war deaths could be reversed instantly in just one bad nuclear day.
[0]. https://ourworldindata.org/war-and-peace-after-1945/ https://ourworldindata.org/war-and-peace-after-1945/
[1]. http://www.fallen.io/ww2/ http://www.fallen.io/ww2/
- rm_-rf_slash 10y agoI think the source is lacking larger context. For example, postwar reconstruction in Europe ushered in an unprecedented age of European states not going to war with each other all the time. So if you measure absolute numbers of war deaths declining, you can't attribute them directly to nuclear weapons. Also, advances in medicine have significantly reduced the number of deaths in war. It's worth noting that in the American civil war, the vast majority of deaths on both sides were attributed to non-combat disease. So maybe you have a point, but I doubt that it's as simple as more nukes = less deaths.