US Economy and Military

If/When the US econemy collapses
how long would it take for its armed forces to collapse
or would that stand as the same strength regardless?

mod edit: corrected title spellling

[edit on 11-10-2007 by UK Wizard]

Well if an event like the Great Depression was to happen I think that the US military could face budget cutbacks like it did during the 30s. Given how entrenched the military industrial complex is and the spending habits of US politicians the US military just plunge the US into the red . But even in tough economic times I don't the US military or government would collapse.

Originally posted by bodrul
If/When the US econemy collapses
how long would it take for its armed forces to collapse
or would that stand as the same strength regardless?

Considering that history has frequently "shown us the way", I think that your question can be answered by looking at the former Soviet Union.

Even when the Soviet Union faced total collapse, the U.S.S.R. was still able to sustain it's military. The army is the last bastion of control that the U.S.S.R. had and the same holds true for any country.

With this in mind, I would imagine that if the US government were to face a total economic collapse, the military would be the one branch of government that would be maintained "at all costs".

Frankly, even if the US were to "dissolve as a nation", the military would probably continue to exist simply because it would be the last remaining element of organization, discipline and control with the power to exert it's influence over others. The military is, in a sense, a government unto itself and, as such, it would certainly continue to exist and to function.

In the USSR, one reason why the military continued to exist and remain a unified force was because it allowed it's members -- the soldiers -- a standard of living that, by comparison to that of the typical Soviet Citizen, guaranteed food, shelter and clothing.

If the US were to entirely collapse, the existing military forces would probably remain relatively intact because, united as they are, the armed forces would be able to offer it's members food, shelter and clothing.

Other examples of this can also be found in practically every third world country. Just look at Haiti, Somalia, Zaire, etc. Even though the military in those countries might have deteriorated into what we might consider as being "armed gangs", the cohesiveness of these organizations and the power that they exert through military might practically guarantees their continued existance.

Don't forget that the Military and the Economy in the US are very closely related. This nation does much better economically under condiotions of war. History tells us this. It was WW2 that got us out of the depression, not the new deal in my opinion.

However, the reason we see the US economy in the shape it is now is not because of the war. But because we outsource our manufacturing (Textile: Mexico, China, Philippines) and major industry(Steel: went to Japan due to lack of sufficient investment and modernization). That was our true economic strengths, our ability to produce quality goods that the world wanted. This is all due to greed though, corps. want to make more money while spending less and paying their employees less. Our country would be much better off now in my opinion if we kept those major industies. Just look at Ohio's unemployment rate after all the steel industry left that region.

reply to post by bodrul


collapse and fast