I'm reading about the Spanish Civil War and trying to understand it because it has been said that there are parallels to the recent conflict in Lebanon. Here's the thing about Spain.
Although the British government proclaimed itself neutral, its diplomats in Spain urged support for the Nationalists. Britain froze all Spanish assets, an act that affected primarily the loyalist side because the government had transferred its gold reserves to Britain for safe keeping at the start of the war. Similarly, the Anglo-French arms embargo hit the Republicans disproportionately and did not prevent the Nationalists from getting weapons from Italy and Germany. Britain also discouraged activity by its citizens supporting the Republicans. The last Republican prime minister, Juan Negrín, hoped that a general outbreak of war in Europe would compel the European powers (mainly Britain and France) to finally help the republic, but World War II would not commence until months after the Spanish conflict had ended. Ultimately neither Britain nor France intervened to any significant extent. Britain supplied food and medicine to the Republic, but actively discouraged the French government of Léon Blum from supplying weapons.
Where does American money go when our Republic is in jeopardy? I don't think I've thought of that scenario before. I mean our money isn't gold, it's 'numbers' in 'bank accounts'. But who is doing the backup to tape of the zillions of transactions? Lay that aside for a moment, and we'll get back to it.
The extent to which America is rich depends on our ability to transact. That is to say $30,000 in the bank feels good because we know that at any minute we can go purchase that new car. It matters that it's fungible. It doesn't matter to us if it's a money order, cashier's check, cash, credit card, credit union loan or backed out of home equity. It's fungible. And that is all consumer goods and services I'm talking about upon which a significantly large part of our GDP is based. But what is it? It's people paying a premium for Green Giant peas & pearl onions instead of the store brand. How much of our economic security is based on the meager but marketing-driven differences between plain-wrap and premium? If Americans actually sacrificed luxury and disposable-income type items, a zillion dollar economy would disappear.
It's a frightening thing to consider what our domestic world would be like if we didn't have so many millionaires who made their fortunes on suntan lotion or cheap sunglasses (echoing Neil Simon's Wax Fruit King from 'Come Blow Your Horn') What would it take to get us culturally focused on national unity? I would greatly fear that hypno-toad.
But really. Where does the real money in real accounts go if the paperwork disappears? To the courts? New obligations materialize? Does the Army commandeer assets to keep moving? Is it gold? Diamonds?
Granted, we probably don't have to think about these things. But if there is an Islamic Bomb in our future, perhaps we do. I'm sure somebody already has, but what was the answer?
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