Hi Experts!
As an exercise in Logic, here on the Logic Board, let us try War!
Please understand that this exercise is NOT being posted on the Philosphy board!
Debate of the 'givens' below is not debatable here; instead, to answer at all,
you must accept the givens and proceed only from there...
(If you do not wish to accept the givens,
then please go start your own question on the Philosophy Board!)
GIVEN:
(1) Prior to the 20th century, most wars were begun to increase the wealth of a nation by plunder. Plunder included transfer to the victor of land, removable valuable assets, trade rights, increased tax base and taxes, reparations, and other assets of the loser. Examples: The Greek, Roman, British, and Japanese empires all became wealthier by war and conquest.
(2) In the 20th century, "peace" supplanted plunder as the only internationally acceptable purpose of war, thus causing both wars and the restoration of war damage to be funded by the victors instead of by the losers. Example: The USA Marshall Plan after WWII, all by itself, cost more than all the Allies JOINTLY received in war reparations from the Axis Powers, not even counting the tremendous costs of the war itself.
(3) Nations which are now perceived as being disproportionately 'richer' than other nations are now thus expected to disproportionately fund war, or international peace efforts, or other international efforts. Example: The USA has funded 20%-60% of most Allied efforts since WWII, including wars, police actions, the UN, and the Space Station. [A similar
thing is true for some USA allies; merely use a smaller percentage number in the preceding sentence.]
(4) The only sources of capital in the USA (or its allies) are limited government-owned natural resouces and US (or allies') taxpayers.
QUESTIONS OF LOGIC:
(A) Can USA citizens be expected to continue to pay at least 20% of everything good in the world, for all future eternity? {Same question, smaller percentage, for some USA allies.]
(B) If not, what must change here?
(C) What are the logical conclusions of the scenario presented above, together with your answers to A and B?
(D) What are the ultimate logical effects of C?
Well, let's have some fun here! Who wants to begin?
"IQ"
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