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It's 1984!
I was thinking about the problem Republicans have with the economic effect of cutting capital gains taxes (wait, it gets more exciting soon). The basic effect is an oversupply of venture capital, which leads to a bubble -- the stock market bubble in the 20s, the tech bubble in the 90s, and the housing bubble in this decade. The bubble eventually bursts, and unless the rest of fiscal and monetary policy is sound, the economy is in trouble.
The key, it seemed to me, was to get rid of the oversupply of goods produced by putting all that venture capital to work. (Keep waiting; I'm getting close.) And what more obvious way to rid ourselves of excess goods than by war? War, after all, creates a constant demand for goods, which can be used to balance the excess supply, thus preventing the bubble that eventually bursts.
Then the light bulb went on (here it is) -- I wasn't the first to think of this. This theory was expressed fifty years ago in Orwell's classic book, 1984. I actually haven't read the book in at least 25 years, but the "writings of Emmanuel Goldstein" made such an impression 'way back when that they have stuck with me all those years.
Orwell went even further, however. He wrote that mechanization would lead to greater production, which could raise everyone's standard of living. The societal problem (for some) behind this outcome would be the "destruction of a heirarchical society."
The idea here is that if everyone is rich, there are no poor people to snub, to rule over, to enslave.
War, on the other hand, not only provided the means to dispense with goods without creating wealth, it also provided rulers with the means to continue ruling -- in essence, what we today call "playing the fear card."
The so-called "war on terror," which John McCain says could last 100 years, is really a war on wealth and equality in America.
I don't know what Orwell's sources for economic theory were, but I'd be fascinated to find out.
[Subject] StateDemocracy.org Equips You for the 2008 Election
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StateDemocracy Foundation
Ken.Laureys@StateDemocracy.org
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