War, & how it(it's) Affected(ing) our Economy.

Is war "Hell"!?!? Although most would answer yes, war is "Hell", there are some who believe that war has positive impacts, especially when it comes to the economy. One of the most enduring myths is that wars can be economic saviors (Moffatt, 2003). So, maybe the better question would be, "Is war good for the economy?" Whether or not it is remains to be a very controversial topic, but to even consider the question you must first have a basic understanding of the general effects of wars on past economics, be it positive or negative, and then you must apply it to something you can relate to...say, the economic impact of the present war in Iraq.

The typical "a war gives the economy a boost" argument usually goes something like this:

When a country prepares for and goes to war it must equip its armed forces with every possible means of winning said war.

Rizières inondées à la frontière entre le Viet...

A generic U.S. World War II tank, a derivate of Im...

Territory often changed hands early in the war, un...

It must provide each individual soldier with his personal equipment, support said soldier in the field with "beans, beds and bullets", and, finally, it must provide the soldier's unit with "the Big Guns" necessary to win the war (Gowen, 2003). In order to provide these necessities contracts will be made with manufacturers, large and small alike. These companies will have to increase production to meet these increased demands, thus requiring them to hire more personnel. The result-decreased unemployment. Additionally, if the government mobilizes military reservists to active duty, civilian workers need to be hired to cover their vacancies in the private sector. The result-decreased unemployment. With more people working, more people are spending. And with more people spending, the retail sector experiences an economic boom. With the increased workload in the retail sector, more workers must be hired. Result-decreased unemployment. And,

thus, the cycle of economic...