[extropy-chat] War Is Easy To Explain - Peace is Not

[Keith Henson]

At 02:07 PM 3/15/2007 +0000, you wrote:
>On 3/15/07, Keith Henson wrote:
><snip>
> > Though the data would be hard to obtain, I would bet decent odds that the
> > EP conditions that are the ultimate cause of war prevailed.
> >
>
>Where the evidence is available -
>i.e. a population given the choice of starvation / poverty versus
>invade the neighbours, then I am happy to agree that this would likely
>be the main cause of that war.
>(Assuming the population is allowed to choose - most dictators or
>rulers enforce their own will on a cowed population by executions,
>secret police, etc.)
>
>I really don't see the need to make up excuses to force *every* war
>into the EP scenario. Dictators, or, in fact, most rulers before the
>modern age, would not even consider the opinion of their subjects.

Dictators who didn't consider the opinion and well being of their subjects 
at all were usually deposed unless they died from other causes first.

>The
>poor, uneducated population was regarded as 'cannon fodder' who would
>do as they were told - or else. Even as late as the 1914-18 war, the
>generals marched the lower classes into the machine guns.

Very effective.

>EP is useful at times, but not compulsory.

It is if your goal is to avoid wars.

Keith Henson