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MrShaggy comments on This Failing Earth - Less Wrong
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Yeah, the idea that a certain concept of states is what explains North Korea and Somalia is wrong. Seconding the point on North Korea: it can defend itself quite well, and it's not just the size of the army. Also, compare post-Westphalian but pre-WW2 with post-WW2 to see a difference in terms of conquering other countries and redrawing borders. The difference: a deal between the US and USSR, two countries with enough power to enforce a certain kind of stability in general, and with the collapse of Stalinism leading to an uptick in the exceptions (esp. Kosovo and Russia-Georgia stuff).
There are two other reasons why it's harder to conquer countries now than then.
people are more squeamish now; using Nazi levels of brutality in putting down rebellions would attract consideral moral opprobrium
wealth now comes from highly skilled information workers, who must be at least partly free if they are to be productive; whereas in the past wealth came from farmland, raw materials, and unskilled labourers. The level of repression necessary to hold a territory (and people) against its will is likely to make the acquired terroritory unproductive.
People know now. People are watching in real time (or almost), and so it's more difficult to rationalize that no one will ever find out.