December 26, 2023
The Shrinking Cost of War Threatens Western Militaries
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea show how easy it is for armed groups to take advantage of cheap but sophisticated technology and undermine American military power.
by Philip Pilkington
In business, the term “commodification” describes the transition of something previously a luxury good into a day-to-day commodity that is bought and sold cheaply. When smartphones first went to market, they were expensive luxury items. Today, while high-end smartphones are not cheap, commodified models are available for as low as under $100.
Commodification is not limited to commercial affairs. War also experiences the process in its own way. The battlefield of the medieval era, for example, was dominated by the noble knight, an extremely well-equipped man trained since birth in the arts of war. In fifteenth-century England, a top-class suit of armor cost £20 or more, the equivalent of 800 days of wages for a simple archer. There were practical considerations behind buying a suit of armor. In addition to the protection it granted from blows and the fear it inspired, knightly armor granted the wearer prestige in a culture that placed a premium on such. Moreover, since armor was used for such a long period in the medieval era, we can surmise that its long-term value was, in some sense, worth the expense.
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/shrinking-cost-war-threatens-western-militaries-208177
