November 6, 2018
Link: https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/11/06/why-iran-needs-a-war-economy/
Link: https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/11/06/why-iran-needs-a-war-economy/
Faced with the relentless U.S. economic war, Iran needs a war
economy. Indeed, the plan of a war economy should not be very difficult for
Iran to implement since it has a relatively successful experience of carrying
out such a plan: during the 8-year war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, Iran
embarked on an extensive state-guided economic management that effectively
provided for both its military and civilian needs. Because of the revolutionary
atmosphere of the time, and because of the corresponding spirit of generosity,
selflessness, social cohesion, and national unity the country was able to
effectively withstand both the military and economic wars launched against its
territory and its people. Despite the extremely costly war, both in terms of
blood and treasure, and despite the fact that Iran’s total output, or national
income, at the time was only a fraction of what it is today, its people did not
experience nearly as much economic hardship as they do today. Why? Mainly
because its national resources were at the time distributed relatively
equitably—unlike today where those resources are monopolized and plundered by a
clique of financial oligarchs and economic mafias.
