Excessive sanctions bring bad actors together to do business on the international market.
Open market capitalism discredits itself as a political philosophy when the open market is used to create wealth for nations that have no regard for human rights, international law, treaties, or democracy.
You can’t force nations to become democracies through endless bombing campaigns.
No “superpower” can remain so forever -- declining superpowers can change course, however, but may opt to destroy themselves as they desperately cling to memories of their former glory.
Domestic calls for peace -- like the 70s -- can often be a ruse. Sometimes people use the idea of peace to gain control of the levers of war.
Liberalizing foreign markets doesn't guarantee those nations will become democracies. But the richer other nations are the more they have to lose, and thus the threat of war is lessened because more is at stake.
The more you can trade with other nations the more likely they could be your ally. It’s not guaranteed they will but it’s more probable they will be allies if you can trade with them.
Capitalists won't always be against costly wars insofar as any given war is popular with the public. This is because capitalists are humans and humans usually look to take the easy way out when it’s viable and the chances of getting caught are low.
Almost everyone has something they'd go to war for. Politicians who know this will always look to gin up support by finding what the public cares about and telling them they need to go to war for it.
Zigmund Reichenbach holds a M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University. You can find him stirring up conversation in his Talk Politics Facebook group or you can follow him on Twitter @zreichenbach1. If you too want to talk politics subscribe to our Talk Politics YouTube to be notified when our discussion goes live every Tuesday at 8:30PM.
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