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Exploring The Relationship Between Military Spending & Human Rights Performance In South Asia

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  • Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati
  • K K Shakya Lahiru Pathmalal

Abstract

The relationship between military spending and human rights is one of the most prominent issues in political economy. Yet, the linkage between the two is empirically underdeveloped. Seeking to fulfill this existing gap in the literature, we examine the effects of militarization on human rights performance in six South Asian economies for the period 1980 ??? 2006. Our findings demonstrate that an increase in military spending significantly reduces human rights. Acceleration of military spending is also associated with decline in human rights performance. By gauging the effect of military spending on human rights conditions during war and peace years, we found that irrespective of war or peace years, any increase in military spending is detrimental to human rights conditions. Further, we find that the negative impact of military spending on human rights is conditioned by increase in their neighbors??? spending. Given the wide range of socioeconomic and political problems ailing South Asian countries, these results gain significant importance. The study suggests that reduction in military pending could help reallocate the resources to productive purposes, thereby paving way for development and progress. This help reducing social unrest and economic insecurity, thereby increases government???s respect for human rights.

Suggested Citation

  • Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati & K K Shakya Lahiru Pathmalal, 2008. "Exploring The Relationship Between Military Spending & Human Rights Performance In South Asia," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp941, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    • Handle: RePEc:wdi:papers:2008-941
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    Cited by:

    1. Töngür, Ünal & Hsu, Sara & Elveren, Adem Yavuz, 2015. "Military expenditures and political regimes: Evidence from global data, 1963–2000," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 68-79.
    2. �nal T�ng�r & Adem Y. Elveren, 2015. "Military Expenditures, Income Inequality, Welfare and Political Regimes: A Dynamic Panel Data Analysis," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 49-74, February.
    3. Ying Zhang & Xiaoxing Liu & Jiaxin Xu & Rui Wang, 2017. "Does military spending promote social welfare? A comparative analysis of the BRICS and G7 countries," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(6), pages 686-702, November.
    4. Ying Zhang & Rui Wang & Dongqi Yao, 2017. "Does defence expenditure have a spillover effect on income inequality? A cross-regional analysis in China," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(6), pages 731-749, November.
    5. Muhammad Azam & Yi Feng, 2017. "Does military expenditure increase external debt? Evidence from Asia," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(5), pages 550-567, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Military spending; Human rights; South Asia.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies

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