If You Want Affluence, Prepare for War

The economy underlying the way of life taken for granted in Western industrial, affluent-consumer societies is an imperial system involving extreme injustice, oppression and use of terror. After documenting this situation at some length, attention is given to the general issue of affluence, resource scarcity and peace and security in a world of limited resources, severe inequality and obsession with economic growth and ever-rising living standards. It is argued that peace and security cannot be expected unless the rich and over-consuming countries undertake a fundamental, enormous (and improbable) shift away from their commitments to affluence and growth and towards The Simpler Way.