Monday, February 12, 2024
Introduction
High Military Spending is the measuring stick of Empire for my research purposes. I use the terms interchangeably. Mainstream economists do not recognize that the different uses of the major resources of capital and research make a profound difference in opportunity cost. Putting those key assets into the military takes them out of the main engine of economic growth, the productivity of the manufacturing sector. Historical records clearly show economic growth suffers in direct proportion to the size of the military economy. Military spending in bulk can have deficit spending stimulus effects like other government spending but lacks the special boost from productive assets found in private sector manufacturing. Military spending mimics manufacturing, without the productivity normally associated with increased economic growth.
Domestic Chaos of Empire
The stagnant economy of military spending leads to many social and domestic problems. I characterize this as the social decay of empire. Homicides are one of the clearest signs of empire in that they represent the clearest domestic example, with elements of violent training, economics, and demonization contributing to a very strong correlation. Economic social mobility is lower in an empire society and income inequality grows in an empire society. The political process is captured and dominated by those connected to the power center of the military budget. Authoritarian tendencies are enhanced by empire and democracy is weakened over time. Rome started out a republic and ended up a dictatorship. In America we have a rising imperial presidency. Rigidities grow and freedoms shrink. When legitimate options shrink, chaos and lotteries are there for desperate people. Empire is hard on a peoples' health, with high rates of infant mortality, teen births, diabetes, drug use, and mental health.
Summary
One atmospheric issue from last month is the great shift from Southern Hemisphere led global warming to a Northern Hemisphere led global warming. Each of these periods has a 54-year cycle that peaks in the middle of the cycle period. Last time the North temperature peaked in 1944, halfway between 1921-1968, and the South peaked in 1998, halfway between 1969-2028. Note that the North (land based) period is 48 years and the South (ocean based) period is 60 years. Note also that the peak temperature years are a perfect 54 years apart. Note that the last land period ended in 1968 with a peak in world tensions in 1968 with riots in France and Chicago and the Tet offensive in Vietnam. 2021 wealth peaks, war tension peaks 2024, with lower relative temperature in 2025. The empire tensions meet the climate tensions right now. Ukraine, Israel, and Covid are all signs of the times.
Wide Variety of Social Effects of Empire:
https://www.academia.edu/11421799/MILITARISM_CONTROL_Empire_Social_Decay_WWW_97_6p
Homicides:
https://www.academia.edu/4862977/CRIME_and_the_Military_1989_1999_3p_1999
One Page Summary Economic Correlations:
https://www.academia.edu/4044456/SUMMARY_Military_DisEconomics_Accuracy13_1p_13
Please cite this work as follows: Reuschlein, Robert. (2024, February 12), "Domestic Chaos from Empire" Madison, WI, Real Economy Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/Domestic-Chaos-from-Empire,2024302365.aspx
Dr. Peace, Professor Robert Reuschlein, Real Economy Institute, Nobel Peace Prize nominee 2016-2024 with growing interest from the deciding Norwegians. A consistently growing pattern shows intense interest in my work on my expertclick.com website; daily "hard looks" per year went from 2 to 3 to 48 to 128 to 200 to 322 to 346 to 349 by the October 6th, 2023 Nobel Peace Prize announcement time.
Contact: bobreuschlein@gmail.com
Info: www.realeconomy.com