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> that economically developed countries (capitalist - but in this case even something like China can qualify) don't fight with one another. France and Germany?
by adekok 10y ago
> that economically developed countries (capitalist - but in this case even something like China can qualify) don't fight with one another.
France and Germany? WW1 / WW2?
Japan and the US in WW2? IIRC, at the time, Japan and the US were trade partners, and Japan imported the bulk of it's oil from the US.
Yet in both cases, they still went to war.
I think the lesson is that ideology trumps economics.
- John23832 10y agoI think the word "capitalist" might have been better than "economically developed". One could argue that Capitalism was the reason Japan went to war against the US. Japan was worried that the US would cut off all oil exports to Japan, so they attempted to gain control of the pacific in order to solidify access to oil. They needed to keep their machine going. Idk if I would call (pre-wwII, post rise of Hitler) Germany truly "Capitalist" though.
- nickik 10y agoThat seems strange to me. Its not like the west cut of oil from Japan for no reason. Japan was fighting a war with China. They were not willing to give that up and escalated the war. Capitalists (as in profit seeking companies and people) seem to have very little to do with it. That is a political decision on the highest level.
- John23832 10y agoI guess. The way I viewed it Japan made a move to protect their markets. But you could be right.
- nickik 10y agoI guess they did it to protect their market and war machine. The question is where did the pressure to do so come from, was it from the political class or the business community.
- John23832 10y agoI agree, that is the question. In capitalistic societies, business and politics are often intertwined.
- kyboren 10y ago> Japan was worried that the US would cut off all oil exports to Japan, so they attempted to gain control of the pacific in order to solidify access to oil. Errr, the US did cut off all oil exports to Japan in August 1941. As you say, though, they needed to keep their machine going; the obvious prospect of a US declaration of war in response to their planned (and executed) seizure of oil-producing regions in the South Pacific was the key motivation for the "pre-emptive strike" on Pearl Harbor.
- nickik 10y agoI think the pure Capitalist peace theory is wrong, but with some exertions if fits. German both in WW1/WW2 had governmental elites in control that were not beholden to the broad capitalist (market). The capitalist (and Im not just talking big industry people) who were standing to lose from war, had no (or not enough) political power. The question is how reliant are the political elites on the broad bushiness community. P.S: Yes, Hitler was helped to power by many large Capitalist but after he solidified control he and the political elite were no longer reliant on them.