To realize added value, production activities must occur. In other words, added value arises from production activities. Production involves bringing into existence things that did not previously exist in the world. This can be accomplished by combining existing items to create new ones or by processing raw materials into new products. Production includes physical manufacturing, knowledge generation, and service creation. Wealth represents the accumulation of added value. Consequently, to become wealthy, one must be productive. However, value is determined through relative comparison. A product can only be exchanged if it can be priced, and added value can only be actualized by exchanging this product. This process is referred to as commerce. In other words, it is known as a transaction. Through trade, humanity distributes this added value. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Paradoxically, one of the reasons for Rome’s demise was that it kept winning wars. Victories expanded the empire’s territory, and the risks increased proportionally. Men, primarily middle-class men, volunteered as soldiers; the larger the territory, the longer the wars lasted, and the longer it took for them to return home. The women who remained at home were forced to borrow labor and became indebted to the nobility. Eventually, the women were sold into slavery, and by the time the men returned, their families had disintegrated. People don’t betray because they’re evil, but because it increases their risk. If the territory you’re in grows, you might reconsider your loyalties to the organization. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”