Warfare Welfare

Warfare Welfare PDF

Author:

Publisher: Potomac Books, Inc.

Published: 2012-04-01

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 1597975338

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This edited volume reveals how a permanent war economy has made the United States unable to spread democracy abroad and has worsened domestic problems. The editors draw from classical readings in political theory, from primary documents (including key court decisions), and from social science research to analyze such issues as the effect of militarization and combativeness on the everyday lives of Americans. The editors also address the dire connection among banking losses, the housing recession, the welfare/national security state, and the challenge of rebuilding AmericaÆs infrastructure.

The Permanent War Economy : an Analysis of U.S. Defense Spending

The Permanent War Economy : an Analysis of U.S. Defense Spending PDF

Author: Jane Meadows

Publisher:

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 92

ISBN-13:

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The Permanent War Economy, originating in the 1940s, has produced decades of excessive defense spending, contributing to waste that detracts funds from social expenditures to meet domestic needs. Previous research on this topic has focused greatly on the origins and causes of this economy with little emphasis on modern solutions to solve this problem and little focus on policy alternatives that can be funded with decreases in defense spending. In this thesis, I use data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the White House Office of Management and Budget, and Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) to compose a timeline of how defense spending has changed from 1962 to 2020, how U.S. defense spending compares to the rest of the world, and how much the United States could have saved from 1999 to 2019 had it spent the global average percentage of GDP on defense, which I then use to illustrate a number of alternative domestic programs that could be funded with the consequent savings. My findings indicate support for the theory of the Permanent War Economy and show that it is possible for the United States to decrease defense spending and reallocate those funds to domestic programs while maintaining a position of global military strength. - Abstract.

The Origins of the Permanent War Economy

The Origins of the Permanent War Economy PDF

Author: Thomas K. Duncan

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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This paper explains the origins of the permanent war economy in the United States. We emphasize the combined efforts of three key interest groups (military, labor unions, and industry) that arose in the context of the dual crises of the Great Depression and World War II. During the depression and the war that followed, there arose a partnership between industry, the military, and politicians. These crises, combined with the State's monopoly over the military, created the opportunity for these interests to influence the trajectory of economic activity in a self-serving, and lasting, manner.

The Continuing Costs of the Permanent War Economy

The Continuing Costs of the Permanent War Economy PDF

Author: Thomas K. Duncan

Publisher:

Published: 2023

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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The U.S. economy has been in a state of “permanent war” since at least World War II. The war economy arises from institutional changes that become embedded within the system with each of the 20th and 21st century conflicts. This chapter illustrates the continuing relevance of Robert Higgs in assessing how these institutional changes emerge and the true costs of the permanent war economy.

The Overlooked Costs of the Permanent War Economy

The Overlooked Costs of the Permanent War Economy PDF

Author: Christopher J. Coyne

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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How does the permanent war economy interact, and subsume, the private, non-military economy? Can the two remain at a distance while sharing resource pools? This paper argues that they cannot. Once the U.S. embarked upon the path of permanent war, starting with World War II, the result was a permanent war economy. The permanent war economy continuously draws resources into the military sector at the expense of the private economy, even in times of peace. We explore the overlooked costs of this process. The permanent war economy does not just transfer resources from the private economy, but also distorts and undermines the market process which is ultimately responsible for improvements in standards of living.

The Revolving Door and the Entrenchment of the Permanent War Economy

The Revolving Door and the Entrenchment of the Permanent War Economy PDF

Author: Thomas K. Duncan

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 32

ISBN-13:

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This paper analyzes the “revolving door” phenomena in the military sector in the United States. The revolving door refers to the back-and-forth movement of personnel between the government and private sector. We examine the structure of the revolving door and explain how its very nature leads to the perpetuation of the permanent war economy. This analysis yields several important implications. First, the dynamics of the revolving door shape the military-industrial complex in a way that serves the narrow interests of select elites rather than the broad interests of citizens. Second, because the perverse incentives are a product of the institutional structure of the U.S. military sector, the negative consequences are also structural and cannot be solved by increased oversight.

Understanding the War Industry

Understanding the War Industry PDF

Author: Christian Sorensen

Publisher: SCB Distributors

Published: 2020-08-01

Total Pages: 395

ISBN-13: 1949762238

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"To an ever-increasing extent, the business of America is the business of war. But although Americans live in the shadow of a war economy, few understand the full extent of its power and influence. Thanks to Christian Sorenson's deeply researched book into the military-industrial complex that envelops our society, such ignorance can no longer be an excuse." - ANDREW COCKBURN, author of 'Kill Chain, The Rise of the High Tech Assassins.' “A devastating account of American militarism, brilliantly depicted, and exhaustively researched in an authoritative manner. Sorensen’s book is urgent, fascinating reading..." RICHARD FALK "“I’m adding Christian Sorensen’s new book, Understanding the War Industry , to the list of books I think will convince you to help abolish war and militaries.." DAVID SWANSON World Without War “This meticulously researched book lays out in painstaking detail exactly how our nation has been captured by a war industry that profits from endless conflict and pursues profit at all costs. It will shock you, infuriate you, and hopefully inspire you."MEDEA BENJAMIN, co-director, CODE PINK The War Industry infests the American economy like a cancer, sapping its strength and distorting its creativity while devouring its treasure. Stunning in the depth of its research, Understanding the War Industry documents how the war industry commands the other two sides of the military-industrial-congressional triangle. It lays bare the multiple levers enabling the vast and proliferating war industry to wield undue influence, exploiting financial and legal structures, while co-opting Congress, academia and the media. Spiked with insights into how corporate boardrooms view the troops, overseas bases, and warzones, it assiduously delineates how corporations reap enormous profits by providing a myriad of goods and services devoted to making war, which must be rationalized and used if the game is to go on: advanced weaponry, drones and nukes; invasive information technology; space-based weapons; and special operations—with contracts stuffed with ongoing and proliferating developmental, tertiary and maintenance products for all of it.