3 ms·
In a world of fighter-jets, satellites, and nukes, under the right circumstances this is a development which could cut both ways. From Wikipedia: "Quigley conc
by jstewartmobile 9y ago
In a world of fighter-jets, satellites, and nukes, under the right circumstances this is a development which could cut both ways.
From Wikipedia: "Quigley concludes that the characteristics of weapons are the main predictor of democracy.[0] Democracy tends to emerge only when the best weapons available are easy for individuals to buy and use."
[0] http://www.carrollquigley.net/pdf/Weapons%20Systems%20and%20Political%20Stability.pdf http://www.carrollquigley.net/pdf/Weapons%20Systems%20and%20...
- georgecmu 9y agoDo Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq qualify as natural experiments that test this theory?
- jstewartmobile 9y agoI doubt it. Jets, drones, and satellites vs peasants with automatics is a fairly stark disparity. I'm making more of a long-term guess here. Unlike uranium enrichment or jet construction, I suspect that state-of-the-art drone manufacturing may eventually reach a level of affordability to where drone-facilitated hits, feuds, and drive-bys become a thing on domestic soil. edit: And key part of the wiki quote is "the best weapons available". If the best weapon available is a six-shooter, and it has a price that almost everyone can afford, you've got an "equalizer". Democracy! If the best weapon available is a nuke, and it takes billions in supply chains and hundreds of millions in materials and know-how to make one, that is a lot of extra leverage for the guys at the top.