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The political economy of militarism.

Article Excerpt
As global military expenditures increase every year, the culture, products, and consequences of militarism have also been increasing and becoming more embedded in social, political, and economic structures. More weapons--and newer, more lethal weapons--are produced. Many countries have created an economy dependent on the production and export of armaments. These governments spend excessive financial, technological, and human resources developing their military-industrial-academic complexes, which are composed of a state's armed forces, the government, suppliers of weapons systems and services (corporations), and academic institutions that conduct research on weapon systems and designs. Local communities become entrenched in these complexes; their existence becomes dependent upon the weapon manufacturer or military base for employment or patronage. Government funds are reduced from social, educational, cultural, employment, health, and housing programs and redirected to support the perpetual war economy.

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Violence-driven economies

The military-industrial-academic complex needs to sell its weapons. Sometimes governments spend excessive money on technologies that entail years of development and testing, upset global "strategic stability," and may or may not ever actually be deployed--such as many elements of...