Military Spending and Development

This paper considers the link between arms spending and economic growth for developing countries, in particular whether high spending on arms is likely to have a negative effect on economic growth and what benefits that might be gained by reducing it. The literature is complex and difficult to summarize, with studies differing theoretically, in the empirical methods they use, in the coverage of countries and time series, and in their quality and significance. Nevertheless, the paper argues that the empirical analyses suggests that there is little or no evidence for a positive effect on economic growth and that it is more likely to have a negative effect, or at best no significant impact at all. Thus, reducing arms and military spending need not be costly and can contribute to, or at the very least provide the opportunity for, improved economic performance in developing countries.