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[LordSlowpoke]

Creative and industrious people would be able to do virtually nothing by themselves, if not coupled with people who are interested in their work. Stalin was interested in technological progress, so he used those creative and industrious people to push it forward in USSR. Nikolai II was not very interested in technological progress, so in Russian Empire, there wasn't much technological progress.

The basic observation is correct, but your take on it is very, uh, Russian - you completely disregard that there's such a thing as start-up companies. And I'd hardly credit Hayes with us having light in our homes, or Truman with the advent of modern computing. And I'd sure as shit not credit Hitler with humankind becoming a spacefaring civilization.

well hitler did give von braun the materials and pushed him to build all the toys he wanted so

and i doubt you're going to deny von braun knew his shit

[MonkeyHead]

Good question. Does the UK have an obligation to defend them no matter the cost? According to wikipedia, the Falkland-associated defense spending is something like 220 % of the island´s GDP. After all, the NHS doesn´t cover some very expensive treatment, how is this different?

We do not sell Brits to Argies

... spending a little more as a preventative measure will cost less than Falklands War 2: Electric Boogaloo.

[Helgoland]

280 millions extra to defend the Falklands? Thats like, 100.000 quids per islanders... There is already something like one British soldiers for every 2 or 3 islanders...

Are you saying that the inhabitants of those islands deserve less defence than the inhabitants of the mainland just because defending them is a bit of a hassle? Nations don't work like that, unless you're a libertarian.

Good question. Does the UK have an obligation to defend them no matter the cost? According to wikipedia, the Falkland-associated defense spending is something like 220 % of the island´s GDP. After all, the NHS doesn´t cover some very expensive treatment, how is this different?

If you reduce the matter to one of economics, you turn the Falklands from a part of the nation into just another commodity. It's more similar to only giving healthcare to the people who are expected to give a net benefit to the country over the rest of their lives, really.

[Loud Whispers]

Yeah but so did Murricans to Von Nazi rocket man, it's for the best that german creds is given to germans and not Hitler

[Sheb]

So your position is that no amount of cash would be too much for the islands' defense? I mean, the current spending isn't too much, but let's say the UK got into an arm race with Argentina. How much cash would be too much?

[Loud Whispers]

So your position is that no amount of cash would be too much for the islands' defense? I mean, the current spending isn't too much, but let's say the UK got into an arm race with Argentina. How much cash would be too much?

All the US dollars in the world

[Sergarr]

Creative and industrious people would be able to do virtually nothing by themselves, if not coupled with people who are interested in their work. Stalin was interested in technological progress, so he used those creative and industrious people to push it forward in USSR. Nikolai II was not very interested in technological progress, so in Russian Empire, there wasn't much technological progress.

The basic observation is correct, but your take on it is very, uh, Russian - you completely disregard that there's such a thing as start-up companies. And I'd hardly credit Hayes with us having light in our homes, or Truman with the advent of modern computing. And I'd sure as shit not credit Hitler with humankind becoming a spacefaring civilization.

And (legal) start-up companies cannot exist unless government allows for them to exist. Again, supply and demand - there was no demand in Russian Empire for meaningful technological progress, because progress was anathema to slave-owning nobles. USSR did not have slave-owning nobility and it was interested in meaningful technological progress - and technological progress followed right after. Partially - through start-up companies, during the "new economical policy" period. But without government allowing for them to exist, there would be no (legal) start-up companies.

[Antsan]

You got that backwards.
When governments forbid them to exist, they cannot.

[Sergarr]

You got that backwards.
When governments forbid them to exist, they cannot.

No I got it right.
When governments allow them to exist, they do.

Without governments, there would be no companies.

[MonkeyHead]

Without governments, there would be no companies.

Anarchists and Libertarians would love to dispute this.

[Loud Whispers]

Without governments, there would be no companies.

Anarchists and Libertarians would love to dispute this.

East India Trading company

[Graknorke]

Anarchists and libertarians would love a lot of things. Doesn't mean they'll get them.

[scrdest]

You got that backwards.
When governments forbid them to exist, they cannot.

No I got it right.
When governments allow them to exist, they do.

Without governments, there would be no companies.

RUSSIAN DETECTED. RUSSIAN DETECTED. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

Again, supply and demand - there was no demand in Russian Empire for meaningful technological progress

It is very funny nonsense considering that Russian Empire early XX century edition was among most economically powerful countries with rather modern industry.

Russian Empire had its own locomotives. Russian empire produced aircrafts. Russian empire produced internal combustion engines. FFS Russian Empire built its own battleships!

[Helgoland]

So your position is that no amount of cash would be too much for the islands' defense? I mean, the current spending isn't too much, but let's say the UK got into an arm race with Argentina. How much cash would be too much?

Well, unless that expense threatens the vital interests of the nation, of course. And of course there's usually the option of ending an arms race peacefully...