19 ms·
Just a few thousand years ago we didn't spend huge parts of our useful resources and lives on militaries. I really don't see how our imagination has shrunk so
by marricks 4y ago
Just a few thousand years ago we didn't spend huge parts of our useful resources and lives on militaries.
I really don't see how our imagination has shrunk so far that we all participant and perpetuate this fantasy that a world full of violence, much of which is created by the US, is the world we must continue to live in.
- deepdriver 4y agoAncient Romans spent as much as 80% of their state budget on the military. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_the_Roman_army https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_the_Roman_army The military was the “the largest item of state expenditure” during much of China’s Tang Dynasty. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-chinese-history/article/reach-of-the-military-tang/ECFE9C64AE6E73EC4319B165A606F88C https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-chinese-h... Compared to this, 4% of the US GDP or 12% of annual US federal spending seems like a bargain, especially if you’re Germany.
- adgjlsfhk1 4y agocomparing percent of federal spending is an odd way of doing things since the scope of government has noticably broadened.
- deepdriver 4y agoYes and no. The total economic pie was much smaller in antiquity, limiting the potential maximum scope of government. Even so, entitlement spending still took up its share of ancient budgets: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura_Annonae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura_Annonae
- mr_toad 4y agoThey extracted a return on that investment, at least in the early days of the empire. A lot of land, gold, and slaves were returned to Rome by their military.
- swamp40 4y ago'Twas ever thus.