2 ms·
Sure, but I'd guess that there's a difference if resources are transferred back and forth within a small region, i.e. neighboring countries warring for a few hu
by m_eiman 18y ago
Sure, but I'd guess that there's a difference if resources are transferred back and forth within a small region, i.e. neighboring countries warring for a few hundred years, compared to some other country far away taking the resources with them after a successful invasion. And then continue to take everything they can get their hands on for the next few hundred years... It pools the resources in a single place, and as a result it also pools the ability to refine those resources in the same place (because its pretty hard to learn refining if you don't have anything to refine). Maybe it could be compared to how a town supported by resource producing villages made it possible to specialize in a trade that wasn't viable in a village setting.
And the killing off part was mostly a reference to diseases brought (without intention) to the Americas that more or less killed the civilizations there.
But maybe I'm just brainwashed by the people on the left.
- gaius 18y agoConsider Zimbabwe. Its wealth was well, wealth, not money that's easy transferred, but fertile farms and abundant mines. Stuff that's inherent to the country itself. But Mugabe has brought it from the "breadbasket of Africa" to the brink or ruin (in fact, perhaps given the latest news from there, over the brink). Where did that wealth go? It wasn't transferred out by fleeing Europeans. It didn't even go into his Swiss bank account. It was simply destroyed.
- m_eiman 18y agoI don't see a connection. You're saying that the only people capable of constructing a functioning society are us Europeans? I really hope I'm reading you wrong.
- gaius 18y agoNo, it doesn't matter that they were European per se. Let's say they were people from planet X who showed up on planet Y, built a load of stuff and then left, and the people from planet Y have no idea how to operate any of it. You know, like in Stargate: SG1. The point is that the people who built it are often the only ones who can operate it.
- cambellg 18y agoSingapore would disprove that theory. :)
- gaius 18y ago:-)
- DabAsteroid 18y agoHow?
- m_eiman 18y agoHehe, I guess we're in big trouble now that China is building all our stuff now then ;) (Yes I know, most of it is still designed/developed in the west..)