[tristanj]

That's the Capitalist peace theory, proposed in 1795 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalist_peace_theory

It has some truth to it, but it doesn't survive looking at European history. In 1913 Germany and Britain were each other's largest trading partners, but a year later they ended up fighting each other in WWI. They fought again in WWII. Nuclear deterrence is a better explanation of post-WWII peace.

[laughing_man]

Yep. People want to believe this, because it means the world will generally become more peaceful as it becomes more integrated. But the numbers just don't hold up -- the closest trading partners are just as willing to go to war as anyone else.

[1dontnkow_]

Well to be correct also the parent said "is also a big factor" so Id say there are like 10 big factors (or dunno) and society should ensure countries are linked and allied by those factors.

[qnleigh]

All this proves is that economic interdependence doesn't completely prevent war. Who knows how much more violent the 20th century would have been without it.