Bling: Consequences and Repercussions

This documentary on conflict diamonds focuses on the savage nature of the diamond trade. It connects the dots, or rather it shows the disconnect between rappers' promotion of "Ice" and war in Africa (specifically Sierra Leone).
It is worth the 11 minutes it takes to watch.
Diamonds aren't the only good that has a bloody economic history of course. We could just as easily speak of "conflict oil" or perhaps "conflict sugar and rum."
A fundamental economic tenet is that the existence of scarcity implies conflict. A scarce good (economic good) such as diamonds require a sacrifice or cost in order to obtain them.
As the documentary shows this cost is more than money.