Randolph Bourne coined what is perhaps the most insightful of terms when it comes to determining the focus of the modern Nation-State. His oft-cited gem, “war is the health of the State,” is recognized by both cynics and realists who are suspicious of government. It serves as the backdrop for Orwell’s classic Dystopian novel, “1984.”

Our beloved America is now engaged in several “endless” wars. Begun in the sixties by a “progressive” Democrat, the War on Poverty is now estimated to have consumed over $20 trillion dollars. “Poverty,” remains largely unaffected, while the cries to “end poverty,” remain more shrill than ever.

Begun in the seventies by a “conservative” Republican, the War on Drugs is now estimated to have consumed trillions of dollars as well, though determining such a figure is difficult. Said war involves a host of activities across multiple areas of government(s) and does not just include budgetary figures. It has grown to where it has tentacles not just directed at the prohibitions against drugs and enforcement of same, but military aid and involvement, incarceration, treatment, etc., etc.

After 45 years of this war, drugs have never been more plentiful. As an added “bonus,” this war has compromised our Bill of Rights as perhaps no other single war in our history, with the possible exception of Lincoln’s war.

The most current of “wars” and its many facets, the one called the War on Terror, is a war on a tactic. To put this alleged war in context, what follows is instructive.

The following list shows how many deaths are attributable to each “modern” war. The figures are from Wikipedia, and if there was a range, they represent the middle of it.

World War II:
75,000,000
Great Leap Forward (China):
32,000,000
World War I:
18,000,000
Russian Civil War:
7,000,000
Ukrainian Genocide (Holodomor):
5,300,000
Korean War:
2,500,000
Killing Fields (Cambodia):
2,000,000
Vietnam War:
1,900,000
Great Purge (USSR):
1,000,000
Gulf War II (Iraq):
700,000
Gulf War I:
130,000
Mexican Drug War:
107,000
Afghan War:
85,000
Thus far

This latest war is just getting underway. Here are the number of people killed by "terror," over more years and a larger area than the previous wars:

1900–1929:
520
1930–1949:
1,088
1950–1969:
283
1970–1979:
1,523
1980–1989:
3,401
1990–1999:
2,203
2000–2009:
6,625
2010–2015:
3,470


It would seem that the wars on poverty, drugs, and terror – the last one with growing and widespread manifestations throughout the Middle East, is, in the absence of any other “suitable” wars being waged, the latest prescription in on-going State “healthcare.”

As I have previously indicated with respect to Great Britain's "BREXIT," local sovereignty is ultimately based on the most “local” of sovereignties, the sovereignty of the individual – his individual rights. A State's failure to recognize that fact is a corollary to Bourne’s timeless reminder. It might best be stated: “COLLECTIVISM is the health of the State.”

When a “sovereign” Nation-State violates the sovereign rights of the individual, its citizens are not only put in potential mortal danger, but so too are their freedoms.

If at "war," such violations can seemingly be justified. However, war is unhealthy to all, except to those ensconced in power as long as they do not "lose" said war. It should be noted however, as long as a "war" continues, with no "victory" or even the possibility of determining such an eventuality, ALL ensconced in power, or benefiting from same, retain their franchise. The only losers are those whose lives and treasure said war consumes.

Such facts serve to clearly explain why, just as the wars on poverty and drugs are seemingly endless, so too will become the myriad manifestations of the War on Terror.

Orwell, with homage to Randolph Bourne, though nowhere near the intellects, were just as prescient as Rand.

Dave