War stimulates the economy

[The One and Only...]

All right, it's time for me to get up on my soapbox.

Let's look at WWI and II first. Our economy had been recovering for quite some time before WWII, and there is no reason to believe that the trend would have stopped. Even if we admit that the war did improve the economy, it can hardly be given full credit.trades, such as what happened after the Crusades. I would also hope that our little friend would remember that many of these

Much of the low unemployment rates in WWII can be attributed to conscription by the army. In fact, "between 1940 and 1944, the number of unemployed persons fell by 4.62 million, while the armed forces increased by 10.87 million."

As for GDP growth, I ask you - so what? GDP only matters when items that improve our standard of living are being created. Granted, weapons that protect us might increase of SOL by keeping us alive, but to say that unnecessary wars increase our economy is another matter entirely.

Yet there is one major, very important factor that both lowered unemployment and raised GDP - namely, government deficit spending.

Yes, deficit spending does create an inflationary economic boom. Deficits are still ultimately harmful - but I feel that is beyond the scope of this thread. Deficit spending would help explain better economic conditions in both WWI and II.

Also, recall that after WWII we began to enter a new global era.

Now, the pro-war crowd might still argue about wars in the past. Why is it that economies did so well in times past during war periods? I would hope that the pro-war pundit would remember that international trade was much less during these time periods. Wars were often followed by periods of greater cross-culture wars had imperial goals - and while the victorious nation might end up in a superior economic situation, we can hardly say the same thing about the conquered lands.