Reply To: The North Atlantic Current

[Brian H]

texaslabrat wrote:

One thing what I am concerned about FF in comparison to renewable energy sources is that it makes military technology cheaper and more advanced. I just hope this will not lead to more rounds of cold war, so that all the economical advantages would be negated as result.

A valid concern, but on the other hand the general availability of very cheap power eliminates many of the causes of war to begin with (competition for resources). When there is no more need to burn dead dinosaurs for transportation or industrial/residential power (which of course leads to ever cheaper manufactured goods among other things)…when fresh water can be cheaply desalinated and pumped where it is needed…etc…then the pressures to engage in warfare to provide those resources to one’s people subsides. There will, of course, ALWAYS be SOMETHING that people will fight about…but when basic material and sustenance issues are taken care of through universal availability of cheap power perhaps the scale and intensity of such disagreements can be contained. One can hope, at least.

The only solution to advanced military technology is to have it yourself, in large enough surplus to prevent your enemies from matching or surpassing you. And be willing to use it if necessary to prevent the over-ambitious from doing harm. History provides no other alternatives.

texas is right to some extent — where war is caused by desperation or actual imposed inequality. This is the minority of cases, of course. Try coming up with examples. There aren’t many.