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Iron Man and the Merchants of Death
by Jeffrey A. Tucker
The phrase Merchants of Death takes center stage in the movie Iron Man,
which is a spectacular expose of a subject that dominates the American
economic landscape but about which Americans have very little
knowledge. The phrase and the movie deal with the odd juxtaposition of
capitalism and war as found in the weapons industry. Here we have
innovations and efficiency of the type we associate with the private
commercial sector but serving ends that are the very opposite of
capitalism. The industry serves war, not peace, depends on coercion,
not human volition, and profits from destruction, not creation.
which is a spectacular expose of a subject that dominates the American
economic landscape but about which Americans have very little
knowledge. The phrase and the movie deal with the odd juxtaposition of
capitalism and war as found in the weapons industry. Here we have
innovations and efficiency of the type we associate with the private
commercial sector but serving ends that are the very opposite of
capitalism. The industry serves war, not peace, depends on coercion,
not human volition, and profits from destruction, not creation.
The
movie itself follows the career of Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), a
billionaire engineering genius who inherited his father's weapons
company and took it to new heights. Touring Afghanistan, he is captured
by a guerilla army and here he experiences an epiphany. It is his
weapons that they are using to solidify their control over the
population. He had long consoled himself that his bombs were being used
to defend freedom but now he sees that they are used by anyone who
seeks to control others –
movie itself follows the career of Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), a
billionaire engineering genius who inherited his father's weapons
company and took it to new heights. Touring Afghanistan, he is captured
by a guerilla army and here he experiences an epiphany. It is his
weapons that they are using to solidify their control over the
population. He had long consoled himself that his bombs were being used
to defend freedom but now he sees that they are used by anyone who
seeks to control others –
the
very opposite of his propaganda. He makes an escape and sets out on a
new course to build a high-powered exoskeleton to beat back the very
thugs he had inadvertently empowered with his own weapons.
very opposite of his propaganda. He makes an escape and sets out on a
new course to build a high-powered exoskeleton to beat back the very
thugs he had inadvertently empowered with his own weapons.
Now,
in the film, the bad guys get his guns because a rival in the corporate
structure had been double dealing behind the scenes. In real life, the
scenario is a bit different. Traditional merchants of death sell to
anyone. The more they use the weapons, the more war that results, the
higher the profits. Now, with controls in place on weapons contractors,
it's not that simple. What happens is that the state simply changes its
mind on who are its friends and enemies. It sells guns to friends
(freedom fighters) until times change and the same people become
enemies (terrorists).
in the film, the bad guys get his guns because a rival in the corporate
structure had been double dealing behind the scenes. In real life, the
scenario is a bit different. Traditional merchants of death sell to
anyone. The more they use the weapons, the more war that results, the
higher the profits. Now, with controls in place on weapons contractors,
it's not that simple. What happens is that the state simply changes its
mind on who are its friends and enemies. It sells guns to friends
(freedom fighters) until times change and the same people become
enemies (terrorists).
It
seems incredible until you realize that short-term memory loss that
Americans have toward U.S. foreign policy. The 1980s are not exactly
ancient history but in those days, the Reaganites had as a core
doctrine of U.S. policy that Islam constituted a valiant ally in the
struggle against communism. The Mujahideen in
Afghanistan were leading the struggle against Soviet control, and the
leaders of this army were courted and celebrated in Washington,
particularly by conservatives. We were told that they shared our
struggle because they believed in traditional values, freedom, and a
strong defense. They were given vast weapons and the CIA assisted in
their ultimately successful effort to oust the Soviets.
seems incredible until you realize that short-term memory loss that
Americans have toward U.S. foreign policy. The 1980s are not exactly
ancient history but in those days, the Reaganites had as a core
doctrine of U.S. policy that Islam constituted a valiant ally in the
struggle against communism. The Mujahideen in
Afghanistan were leading the struggle against Soviet control, and the
leaders of this army were courted and celebrated in Washington,
particularly by conservatives. We were told that they shared our
struggle because they believed in traditional values, freedom, and a
strong defense. They were given vast weapons and the CIA assisted in
their ultimately successful effort to oust the Soviets.
Once
the Mujahideen had the Soviets out of the way, they seized control of
the country and imposed a dictatorship that imposed an anti-drug
theocracy, with a government that became known as the Taliban. The
Taliban must have been shocked when Washington suddenly turned on them
since they were merely carrying out the "traditional values" for which
they had been previously celebrated. Now, suddenly, they were being
called a dictatorial band of thugs that had to go. Once overthrown by
Washington, they moved the mountains and became an essential part of
what is today collectively known as Al-Qaeda.
the Mujahideen had the Soviets out of the way, they seized control of
the country and imposed a dictatorship that imposed an anti-drug
theocracy, with a government that became known as the Taliban. The
Taliban must have been shocked when Washington suddenly turned on them
since they were merely carrying out the "traditional values" for which
they had been previously celebrated. Now, suddenly, they were being
called a dictatorial band of thugs that had to go. Once overthrown by
Washington, they moved the mountains and became an essential part of
what is today collectively known as Al-Qaeda.
So the labels changed: from freedom fighter to terrorist in one decade.
But
the weapons remained the same: their equipment and resources and bombs
were almost entirely provided by the same folks who backed them to the
hilt the previous decade.
the weapons remained the same: their equipment and resources and bombs
were almost entirely provided by the same folks who backed them to the
hilt the previous decade.
So
Iron Man telescopes events somewhat but the core of the truth is there,
though hardly ever spoken about in American public life. Nor is this
something new. The problem of the Merchants of Death has been around
for at least a century.
Iron Man telescopes events somewhat but the core of the truth is there,
though hardly ever spoken about in American public life. Nor is this
something new. The problem of the Merchants of Death has been around
for at least a century.
The
existence of such an industry scandalized Americans in the interwar
period, and there was one treatise that led the way in helping to
foment the ourage. In fact, it was a bestseller book in 1934 with the
title Merchants of Death. (Here is the PDF and here it is in hard copy.)
existence of such an industry scandalized Americans in the interwar
period, and there was one treatise that led the way in helping to
foment the ourage. In fact, it was a bestseller book in 1934 with the
title Merchants of Death. (Here is the PDF and here it is in hard copy.)
We are justified in calling it the first mega-selling conservative book of the 20th century. Why conservative? The lead author was H.C. Engelbrecht, and,
most importantly, its co-author was Frank C. Hanighen, who would later
become the founder of Human Events, which was the most
important weekly publication on the right in the 1940s and 1950s. In
other words, the phrase Merchants of Death did not originate on the
left but on the right, during the New Deal period when the people later
called conservatives became alarmed about the union between big
corporations and big government.
most importantly, its co-author was Frank C. Hanighen, who would later
become the founder of Human Events, which was the most
important weekly publication on the right in the 1940s and 1950s. In
other words, the phrase Merchants of Death did not originate on the
left but on the right, during the New Deal period when the people later
called conservatives became alarmed about the union between big
corporations and big government.
This
book is not a typical left-wing style attacks on commerce as the
essence of war. In fact, it argues the opposite. "The arms industry did
not create the war system. On the contrary, the war system created the
arms industry."
book is not a typical left-wing style attacks on commerce as the
essence of war. In fact, it argues the opposite. "The arms industry did
not create the war system. On the contrary, the war system created the
arms industry."
The
blame, then, lies not with the private sector that makes the weapons.
"All constitutions in the world vest the war-making power in the
government or in the representatives of the people. The root of the
trouble, therefore, goes far deeper than the arms industry. It lies in
the prevailing temper of peoples toward nationalism, militarism, and
war, in the civilization which forms this temper and prevents any
drastic and radical change. Only when this underlying basis of the war
system is altered, will war and its concomitant, the arms industry,
pass out of existence."
blame, then, lies not with the private sector that makes the weapons.
"All constitutions in the world vest the war-making power in the
government or in the representatives of the people. The root of the
trouble, therefore, goes far deeper than the arms industry. It lies in
the prevailing temper of peoples toward nationalism, militarism, and
war, in the civilization which forms this temper and prevents any
drastic and radical change. Only when this underlying basis of the war
system is altered, will war and its concomitant, the arms industry,
pass out of existence."
The
book holds up as a marvelous analysis of how the merchants of death
profited from World War I, a fact that the public found riveting and
help solidify a strong antiwar temperament in the electorate during
those years. This raised consciousness led to a broader insight about
the nature of the warfare state: namely, that they only way to restrain
it was to keep centralized power of all sorts at bay. The leading
spokesmen for the ideal here was later called the Old Right by Murray
Rothbard.
book holds up as a marvelous analysis of how the merchants of death
profited from World War I, a fact that the public found riveting and
help solidify a strong antiwar temperament in the electorate during
those years. This raised consciousness led to a broader insight about
the nature of the warfare state: namely, that they only way to restrain
it was to keep centralized power of all sorts at bay. The leading
spokesmen for the ideal here was later called the Old Right by Murray
Rothbard.
Howit came to be that the Old Right cause would later be taken up by the
New Left, while the New Right came to embrace the warmongering creed of
the Old Left –
well,
let's just say it was a complicated maneuver accomplished in a brief
period of time in the late 1950s. Murray Rothbard was there and he
chronicled the transition blow by blow.
let's just say it was a complicated maneuver accomplished in a brief
period of time in the late 1950s. Murray Rothbard was there and he
chronicled the transition blow by blow.
His book is called The Betrayal of the American Right. Sure enough, checking the book, on page 58, we find a nice discussion of Human Events, Frank Hanighen, and the problem of the
Merchants of Death.
Merchants of Death.
So
there were have the connection between Rothbardian political analytics
and the hottest movie in theatres today. The real Iron Man is Rothbard,
whose influence on the way we view the world seems to rise with every
day.
there were have the connection between Rothbardian political analytics
and the hottest movie in theatres today. The real Iron Man is Rothbard,
whose influence on the way we view the world seems to rise with every
day.
May 7, 2008
Jeffrey Tucker [send him mail] is editorial vice
president of www.Mises.org. Comment on the Mises blog. Copyright © 2008 LewRockwell.com