Sufficient affluence/sustainable economy: Economics for everyone (episode thirteen)
(CONTINUED)
“If I may,” said American Education-Reformer Abraham Flexner, “Let me respond to this last comment. Through my work with the Carnegie and Rockefeller Foundations, I studied the finances of war in the early Twentieth Century. Now, as then, ‘nations recently have been led to borrow billions for war; no nation has ever borrowed largely for education. Probably, no nation is rich enough to pay for both war and civilization. We must make our choice; we cannot have both.’”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our Thirty-Second President, nodded in agreement, then said, “Let me add that ‘democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.’”
Former Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts responded, “I agree with Flexner and FDR. ‘Give me the money that has been spent in war, and I will clothe every man, woman, and child in an attire of which kings and queens will be proud. I will build a schoolhouse in every valley over the whole Earth. I will crown every hillside with a place of worship consecrated to peace.’”
Through his clattering elephant-ivory teeth, George Washington stood and said, “I give my regards to Senator Sumner. He has underscored the point that the expense of war must produce some measurable benefit. Today, as in my own time, ‘I do not mean to exclude altogether the idea of patriotism. I know it exists, and I know it [had done much in the American Revolution]. But, I will venture to assert that a great and lasting war can never be supported on this principle alone. It must be aided by a prospect of interest or some reward.’”
Nodding cordially to Washington, English Economist John Stuart Mill stated, “In knowing and respecting George, my esteemed Whist partner on the far side of the River Styx, I hope that I understand him correctly in respect to a prospect of interest or some reward. I believe that ‘war is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.’”
In response, FDR offered, “Let us never forget that ‘the ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and Senators and Congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country. However, people who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.’”
General Ike introduced a suggestion: “Gentlemen, in order to sum up this matter in general terms, let us ask Sun Tzu for his view on warfare.” As the table quieted, Sun Tzu, the Chinese General, Strategist, and Writer from the Sixth Century BCE, paused, then stated, “If I may, let me express my view on the art of war in four sentences. ‘There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefitted. There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare. Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.’”
Ike responded. “Thank you, Sun Tzu, for your concise remarks. These are the elements upon which we formed the United Nations. ‘If the United Nations once admits that international disputes can be settled by using force, then we will have destroyed the foundation of the organization and our best hope of establishing a world order.’” FDR responded, “I agree with you, sir. ‘If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships—the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace.’”
Ban Ki-moon, South Korean Diplomat and Eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, found his natural opening into the conversation: “Let us not skirt the main issue. ‘We must eliminate all nuclear weapons in order to eliminate the grave risk they pose to our world. This will require persistent efforts by all countries and peoples. A nuclear war would affect everyone, and all have a stake in preventing this nightmare.’” At this, a slight hush hovered over the room.
At the adjoining table, which included Scientists, Philosophers, and Theologians, the attendees were mulling over everything that had been said. English Physicist and Cosmologist Stephen Hawking turned to those seated at his table and opened the discussion: “Ladies and gentlemen, ‘Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus, or other dangers we have not yet thought of.’”
Responding to this comment, American Philosopher/Scientist/ Activist Noam Chomsky reminded everyone, “‘There are two problems for our species’ survival--nuclear war and environmental catastrophe--and we’re hurtling towards them. Knowingly.’ Furthermore, ‘It’s a near-miracle that nuclear war has so far been avoided.’”
Uruguayan Author of Fiction and Nonfiction Eduardo Galeano entered the conversation, stating that “a nuclear war could result from the same causes as other wars throughout human history. ‘Almost all wars, perhaps all, are trade wars connected with some material interest. They are always disguised as sacred wars, made in the name of God, or civilization, or progress. But all of them, or almost all of the wars, have been trade wars.’”
French Priest and Writer Francois Fenelon added quietly, “‘All wars are civil wars because all men are brothers.’” Listening intently, American Minister and Activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. cried out, “‘I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality ... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.’ Let us recall what John F. Kennedy said, ‘Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.’”
Argentinian-born Pope Francis, the Two Hundred Sixty-Sixth Pontiff, waited through an expected pause before entering the conversation: “Let me quote one of my predecessors, his Holiness, John Paul II. ‘War should belong to the tragic past, to history. It should find no place on humanity’s agenda for the future.’ To this let me add that ‘even today we raise our hand against our brother ... We have perfected our weapons, our conscience has fallen asleep, and we have sharpened our ideas to justify ourselves as if it were normal. We continue to sow destruction, pain, death.’” With a note of finality, Francis concluded, “‘Violence and war lead only to death.’”
Old German Proverb: “A Great War Leaves the Country with Three Armies—an Army of Cripples, an Army of Mourners, and an Army of Thieves”
Charon returned to the podium and spoke: “Thank you, your Holiness, for summing up our discussion so succinctly with a final cadence. Please let me add a postscript from one of your predecessors, Pope Paul VI, ‘If you wish to be brothers, then drop your weapons.’ We hope that our guests from the Land of the Living will carry these and all of the other words back to their homes. To close our evening, I have asked Mr. Samuel Langhorne Clemens, the great American Author, Journalist, and Speaker whom many of you know as Mark Twain, to recite a closing oration, his War Prayer. My deepest thanks to all of you for attending this soiree. Let us remember what we have discussed here on this houseboat on the River Styx. Mr. Clemens, if you would.”
“Thank you, Charon,” replied Clemens as he approached the podium. I dedicate my War Prayer, which, unfortunately, proves every bit as relevant today as when I lived, to all of humanity:
“O Lord, our God, help us tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it.”
Addendum
For additional information on these matters, please refer to the following sources:
• Septuagint (Orthodox Christian)—Number Six
• Philo—Number Seven
• Samaritan Pentateuch—Number Five
• Jewish Talmud—Number Six
• Complete Works of St. Augustine—Number Five
• Catholic Catechism—Number Five
• Martin Luther’s Large Catechism—Number Five
• John Calvin’s Institutes—Number Six
• Anglican Book of Common Prayer—Number Six
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Dr. John F. Sase teaches Economics at Wayne State University and has practiced Forensic and Investigative Economics for twenty years. He earned a combined M.A. in Economics and an MBA at the University of Detroit, followed by a Ph.D. in Economics from Wayne State University. He is a graduate of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School (www.saseassociates.com).
Gerard J. Senick is a freelance writer, editor, and musician. He earned his degree in English at the University of Detroit and was a supervisory editor at Gale Research Company (now Cengage) for over twenty years. Currently, he edits books for publication (www.senick-editing.com).
Julie G. Sase is a copyeditor, parent coach, and empath. She earned her degree in English at Marygrove College and her graduate certificate in Parent Coaching from Seattle Pacific University. Ms. Sase coaches clients, writes articles, and edits copy (royaloakparentcoaching.com).
