Capitalism Quote by Sakyo Komatsu
““Could these wonderful inventions have never been created without first going down the road of armaments and warfare? Was it acceptable that we scholars accepted this as fate—as ‘civilization’s capitalism—the unavoidable state of the utilitarian stage,’ and simply cast our hopes on the future?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “The Empire of Corpses” by Sakyo Komatsu, 1969
Questions whether technological progress, especially war, is necessary for invention, and critiques fatalistic acceptance of capitalism.
In simple terms: War may drive invention, but we accept it as destiny.
Key Takeaway
Question progress’s true cost.
Themes
technology
war
capitalism
Mood
inquisitive
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- military R&D
- academic curricula
- public discourse
Key Concepts
ethics
historical determinism
innovation ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- Is war truly indispensable for invention?
- How can societies break the link between conflict and progress?
A Different Perspective
Technological advances can arise without conflict.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
