Part 9/13:
Historically, the incentive structure that encouraged conquest—observable wealth, manageable outputs, and easy compliance—has given way to a new economic paradigm. In contemporary terms, the cost of conquest has escalated dramatically. With the emergence of service-based economies, value is increasingly derived from intellectual and creative outputs rather than extractive resources.
Attempts to annex territories have become economically unsound for developed nations, which now prioritize productivity over territorial acquisition. For instance, the U.S. response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in the early 1990s reframed the conversation around military engagement and territory. Instead of seizing control over valuable assets immediately, the U.S. sought to honor international norms.