“Here, then, is the problem which we present to you, stark and dreadful and inescapable: Shall we put an end to the human race; or shall mankind renounce war?” – Albert Einstein, Bertrand Russell (1955)
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“It is a source of profound gratification to me, as I am sure it wiIl be to all Governments, that, on a subject that has until recently been so beset by ideological differences, it has now proved possible for a group of experts drawn from countries with different economic systems and at different stages of economic development to read unanaimous agreement. It is particularly encouraging that the Constitutive Group should have reached the unanimous conclusion that “all the problems and difficulties of transition connected with disarmament could be met by appropriate national and international measures.” and that “there should thus be no doubt that the diversion to peaceful purposes of the resources now in military use could be accomplished to the benefit of all countries and lead to the improvement of world economic and social conditions.” – Economic and Social Consequences of Disarmament, United Nations (1962)
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“Humanity now faces two simultaneous existential threats, either of which would be cause for extreme concern and immediate attention. These major threats—nuclear weapons and climate change—were exacerbated this past year by the increased use of information warfare to undermine democracy around the world, amplifying risk from these and other threats and putting the future of civilization in extraordinary danger.” – 2019 Doomsday Clock Statement, Science and Security Board, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Conversion!
This website and the course on which it is based are about conversion: economic and social conversion. Converting the growth based capitalist system into an economically democratic system without growth and at the same time converting the permanent war economy into a civilian economy.
The permanent war economy is the political economy of those sets of institutions – governmental and private, known and secret, whose primary or major objectives are set around armaments – their production, procurement, research, maintenance, use and; wars – small, big, covert, overt, and preparation for them.
A civilian economy, on the other hand, is the economic system focused on developing and maintaining infrastructures and industries whose primary goal in the betterment of social life and individual freedom. It utilizes the money, infrastructure, technical expertise and manpower used in destructive war industry for civilian and productive use.
The 2018-2019 Union Budget of India spent Rs 1,14,915 crore on Rural Development, Rs 41,765 crore on Housing and Urban Affairs, Rs 54,600 crore on Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rs 71,000 crore on Road Transport and Highways, Rs 22,357 crore on Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Rs 85,010 crore on Human Resource Development.
While it spent Rs 4,04,365 crore on “defense” (and it does not include a number of secret spendings and spending on defense under Ministry of Home Affairs header.)
More information on the massive reach and corrosive effect of Indian war economy can be found in this article. (https://stokemagazine.wordpress.com/2018/10/02/security-and-peace-vs-the-national-security-state/).
Arms to Renewables and More.
There is not only great potential for accelerating climate action that can mitigate the threat of ecological collapse in utilizing the enormous resources of the defense industry to producing and installation of alternative energy technologies but also of creating new transportation, water, and other infrastructures. These could be good pay jobs with good conditions.
New international institution of conflict resolutions and end of the war (or threat of war) based solutions will reduce state and non-state violence and terrorism.
Today, Disarmament and Conversion are not just moral obligations, they are essential for human survival.
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