"I think it has worked every single time a group, a society, or a nation has made a positive advance that benefited most or all of the people affected."

THe United Nations, The wide use of penicillin, modern manufactuing, the plastics industry and the economic growth of the last half of the 20th century all stemmed from WWII. I think that if you look at history, I think you will find that most advances stem from competition and conflict.