Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro...
by deepdriver on Monday July 25, 2022 @02:04PM
(#32228433)
Ancient Romans spent as much as 80% of their state budget on the military.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics_of_the_Roman_army
The military was the “the largest item of state expenditure” during much of China’s Tang Dynasty.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-chinese-h...
Compared to this, 4% of the US GDP or 12% of annual US federal spending seems like a bargain, especially if you’re Germany.
Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro...
by mr_toad on Monday July 25, 2022 @10:04PM
(#32233416)
They extracted a return on that investment, at least in the early days of the empire. A lot of land, gold, and slaves were returned to Rome by their military.
Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro...
by adgjlsfhk1 on Monday July 25, 2022 @03:26PM
(#32229695)
comparing percent of federal spending is an odd way of doing things since the scope of government has noticably broadened.
Re:Two weeks in, the Webb Space Telescope is reshaping astro...
by deepdriver on Monday July 25, 2022 @03:33PM
(#32229786)
Yes and no. The total economic pie was much smaller in antiquity, limiting the potential maximum scope of government. Even so, entitlement spending still took up its share of ancient budgets:
I really don't see how our imagination has shrunk so far that we all participant and perpetuate this fantasy that a world full of violence, much of which is created by the US, is the world we must continue to live in.