[kj] FW: Re: Funny KJ tracks?

[B. Oliver Sheppard]

I agree that capitalism and big business drive a lot of the warfare of 
the past century -- the documentary "Why We Fight" goes into this quite 
a bit. (Highly recommended to anyone, btw.)

But war did exist before capitalism reared it's greed-hungry head. 
Obviously pre-capitalist societies like feudal societies, slave 
societies, even tribal societies engaged in warfare.

But I don't think that means it's inevitable or that it definitely will 
always happen, as Jaz seems to imply. Rape and murder have also existed 
since time immemorial, but we try to rid society of it and penalize 
people for it. We don't just lay back fatalistically and say, "Oh well, 
that's the way things are, what can ya do?" There is an active attempt 
to prevent it and punish it.

But the 20th century, the supposed century of so much humanitarianism, 
technological advances, etc., was also the bloodiest ever. I think 
capitalism had a big part of it. How could it not have, given the 
countries that started WW2, for example, all had 
capitalist/industrialist economies?

-Oliver



GREG SLAWSON wrote:

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>

>

> I disagree w/parts of Jaz's doomsday quotes. I don't think man needs 

> war in some instinctual or genetic way--it's capitalism that needs 

> war. If certain countries don't destroy others through war, their 

> corporations will not be able to stay on top. THe economic laws of 

> capitalism require each capitalist (or group of them) to make MORE 

> profits than others, in order to get a greater market share than their 

> competitors. THis is the main cause of all modern wars--all the other 

> stuff like religion, nationalism, revenge, territory--are just 

> expressions of what the capitalists need. Cases in point: in Iraq the 

> biggest negotiating topic between Iraqi groups and America is over 

> control of oil; in WWII the Europeans were fighting over colonies in 

> Africa, Asia, etc. and the war served to boost capitalism by 

> destroying production (mostly in Europe & Japan, currently the world's 

> stongest economies?) so they could increase profits by rebuilding.

>

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