Heni Ozi Cukier

During this period, we had communications revolutions that completely changed public discourse.

So this media became powerful tools for propaganda, polarizing politics, and amplifying social fears.

Traditionalists at that time, they were worried that modern culture was simply eroding tradition, family, and religion.

Today, we are going through a technological revolution driven by AI,

digital media and social platforms.

The internet, smartphones, and social media have transformed the way we work, communicate, and even think.

Psychologists did debate how digital life is affecting children's developments, while concerns over privacy and surveillance and AI-driven job loss continue to grow.

Technologies are spreading ideas across the globe, but also they are amplifying frustrations, fears, and divisions faster than ever before.

In short, technological progress brings incredible benefits, but they also breed insecurity, resentment, and uncertainty.

Historically, such anxieties have made societies more unstable and vulnerable to extreme ideologies that fuel militarism and war.

Now, let's talk about the economics.

And I want to present two perspectives on the economics.

The first one is related to a common idea that economic prosperity prevents wars.

And the argument goes like this.

I mean, it makes no sense for a nation to go to war and destroy its own wealth.

So they don't want to go to war.

Before World War I, in 1914,

Britain dominated global trade and finance.

Germany was thriving industrially and expanding its exports.

Both countries, they knew that there were no financial benefits that justify the enormous economic costs of going to war.