Nazism is Left-Wing?

chuckmorse.com ^ | July 2, 2002 | Chuck Morse

[Sci Fi Guy]

the real test of how militaristic a society is not the GDP, but the percentage of population in the military(or having been in). For example Israel and Switzerland have a much higher percentage of their population in the military. And the authority the military has over other aspects of society. For example can Army Generals veto election results?

Neither Israel nor Switzerland(!) has its neighbors worried about being invaded by its army. The issue is the size of the military relative to realistic threat assessment. Israel's neighbors are afraid of Israel's military--afraid they won't be able to conquer Israel because of it, that is.

And the Algerian military vetoed an election precisely to prevent Islamic militants from making Algeria a threat to other countries. So IMHO your criterion needs work.

Actually I think that we have more of a miscommunication. First of all I do not regard being militaristic as a bad thing. Militaristic does not mean bad or evil. And Secondly please keep in mind that we are describing the characteristics of society, not the military.

I think that a militaristic society is simply a society where the military culture has a great deal of influence. Not where they are spending more than they need on the military. It is possible, for a society to overspend on the military, yet have the majority of its citizens completely disconnected from the military, military service, military values, and national security concerns. As well as the military existing with little or no influence over the national policy. (e.g. National Defense should be considered when we consider trade with China, immigration from the middle east, the budget, etc.)

In Switerland and Israel, the military and guns are part of the average citizens everyday lives. The military directly affects the lives of nearly every citizen. So the entire society is involved with the military.

And in regards to Alergia, I think that they acted in their own self interest, not in the interest of their neighbors. Regardless it does fit my idea of militaristic. My point about Generals was that if a society considers their military the final authority. The one institution that all others must submit to, then that society could be regarded as militaristic.