4 ms·

50-year-old military-industrial complex I was disappointed to read that part, as it omits the Congressional portion of the equation as well as fails to make no

by D9u 13y ago

50-year-old military-industrial complex I was disappointed to read that part, as it omits the Congressional portion of the equation as well as fails to make note that said complex is a lot older than 50 years.

gaadd33 13y ago
Really? I'm under the impression that it really became a "complex" and gained power post WW2, hence Eisenhower's warning about it. Previously there wasn't that large of a standing army nor that large of a defense contracting industry afaik.
- D9u 13y ago
  The "complex," which could not operate without the collusion of Congress, was in place prior to the first world war. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism_and_Big_Business http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism_and_Big_Business http://beforeitsnews.com/global-unrest/2012/04/rudimentry-beginnings-of-military-industrial-complex-from-inception-to-full-blown-world-w-2039403.html http://beforeitsnews.com/global-unrest/2012/04/rudimentry-be... USMC Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler warned us about it in his book, War is a racket. http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html
  - gaadd33 13y ago
    The military industrial complex isn't "corporatism" specifically. It addresses the relationship between defense/arms companies and the military/congress. Prior to WW1 the US was very isolationist and furthermore, lacked arms manufacturers on a large scale (as percent of gdp) so it seems unlikely they were able to direct significant policy or spending via contributions and bribes. I'm not really seeing any evidence that it predates WW1 (and in significant size, WW2) in the United States from the links you posted. Butler's book appears to be more of an attack on profiteering and the futility of war in general. Given "beforeitsnews" also has "Reptilian Caught Hissing On MSM TV" as its top story, I'm inclined to wonder about the factual basis for what it says.

by D9u 13y ago

gaadd33 13y ago

Really? I'm under the impression that it really became a "complex" and gained power post WW2, hence Eisenhower's warning about it. Previously there wasn't that large of a standing army nor that large of a defense contracting industry afaik.

D9u 13y ago
The "complex," which could not operate without the collusion of Congress, was in place prior to the first world war. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism_and_Big_Business http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism_and_Big_Business http://beforeitsnews.com/global-unrest/2012/04/rudimentry-beginnings-of-military-industrial-complex-from-inception-to-full-blown-world-w-2039403.html http://beforeitsnews.com/global-unrest/2012/04/rudimentry-be... USMC Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler warned us about it in his book, War is a racket. http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html
- gaadd33 13y ago
  The military industrial complex isn't "corporatism" specifically. It addresses the relationship between defense/arms companies and the military/congress. Prior to WW1 the US was very isolationist and furthermore, lacked arms manufacturers on a large scale (as percent of gdp) so it seems unlikely they were able to direct significant policy or spending via contributions and bribes. I'm not really seeing any evidence that it predates WW1 (and in significant size, WW2) in the United States from the links you posted. Butler's book appears to be more of an attack on profiteering and the futility of war in general. Given "beforeitsnews" also has "Reptilian Caught Hissing On MSM TV" as its top story, I'm inclined to wonder about the factual basis for what it says.