Ancient Rome’s high tax rates enabled maintenance of larger professional armies than were possible in the Middle Ages. Rome partially conquered the world through massive tax-funded government projects, such as investing in roads for their armies to move farther and faster and to subdue distant populations more easily. But Rome’s self-destructive abuse of its people, along with its centralized governmental and heavy tax policy, contributed to its downfall. And since central powers could no longer maintain massive standing armies through heavy taxation, governance became localized. The lack of large cities, commercial economies, large scale slavery, and powerful governments meant feeding or funding large standing armies was nearly impossible for the agrarian and localized societies of the Middle Ages.

The change in the political system from the previous centralized Roman period to the decentralized feudal era transformed warfare, making it tamer and smaller. Because wars were limited to the nobility and their followers, the benefits of victory or conquest were theirs alone. Since he and his vassals were the only beneficiaries of a successful war, if a lord desired to expand, he paid the expenses out of his treasury, and he must recruit and upkeep his forces. Further, the king had to lead his men from the front. If a king were unwilling to risk dying for the cause, few would consider fighting for him. War is so horrible you must be willing to die yourself before you send others to do so. A primary function of the king was to lead men to war; this is why women were seldom in power in a militarized feudal society.

I am unsure of any better anti-war policy than to start having our politicians fund their own wars out-of-pocket and lead their armies to the front lines for the conflict. Then, have those who vote for them make up their armies rather than drafting conscripts. It will not take long for diplomacy to start working more efficiently. People are much more likely to engage in war when they spend other people’s money, and send others to die for their personal gain.