This is the standard broken window fallacy (http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html#broken_window http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html#broken_window). Just a hu

This is the standard broken window fallacy (http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html#broken_window http://bastiat.org/en/twisatwins.html#broken_window). Just a hurricane destroying a city doesn't improve its economic well being even though there will be a boom in construction and other such industries -- at the end of the day everyone involved is poorer. If you want to talk about the post war boom, it could be explained by the complete destruction of europe and an industrial america able to sell to them. There can be big technology improvements during war due to individuals working night and day to save their lives, but in general the same thing can happen in peace time by people working night and day. It won't happen because they want to enjoy their lives.