Economic militarism
Encyclopedia
Economic militarism is a term used to describe the ideology
surrounding the use of military
expenditure to prop up an economy
, or the use of military power to gain control or access to territory or other economic resources.
Since this book the term has been used in connection with the ancient Aztecs, and with militaristic movements in a variety of cultures, and applies to the ideological and cultural aspects of a state, society or group that sustain the drive for hegemony
or empire
. For example Joseph Kenney applies the term to the Almoravids
.
In 2003 Clyde Prestowitz, of the Economic Strategy Institute published a book containing his analysis of what he called economic militarism in American foreign policy, that was reviewed in The Economist
magazine.
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
surrounding the use of military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
expenditure to prop up an economy
Economic system
An economic system is the combination of the various agencies, entities that provide the economic structure that defines the social community. These agencies are joined by lines of trade and exchange along which goods, money etc. are continuously flowing. An example of such a system for a closed...
, or the use of military power to gain control or access to territory or other economic resources.
Brief history of the term
The first important use dates from 1939 with Germany Rampant: A Study in Economic Militarism by Ernest Hambloch, a long-serving British diplomat. Germany Rampant "traces the philosophy of Nazism to the German mythological figures of ancient times."Since this book the term has been used in connection with the ancient Aztecs, and with militaristic movements in a variety of cultures, and applies to the ideological and cultural aspects of a state, society or group that sustain the drive for hegemony
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
or empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
. For example Joseph Kenney applies the term to the Almoravids
Almoravids
The Almoravids were a Berber dynasty of Morocco, who formed an empire in the 11th-century that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus. Their capital was Marrakesh, a city which they founded in 1062 C.E...
.
In 2003 Clyde Prestowitz, of the Economic Strategy Institute published a book containing his analysis of what he called economic militarism in American foreign policy, that was reviewed in The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
magazine.
See also
- MilitarismMilitarismMilitarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
- Military KeynesianismMilitary KeynesianismMilitary Keynesianism is the accusation that John Maynard Keynes advocated government economic policy in which the government devotes large amounts of spending to the military in an effort to increase economic growth. In fact, the English economist John Maynard Keynes advocated that government...
- Military-industrial complexMilitary-industrial complexMilitary–industrial complex , or Military–industrial-congressional complex is a concept commonly used to refer to policy and monetary relationships between legislators, national armed forces, and the industrial sector that supports them...
- Permanent war economyPermanent war economyThe concept of permanent war economy originated in 1944 with an article by Ed Sard , Walter S. Oakes and T.N. Vance, a Third Camp Socialist, who predicted a post-war arms race...
- War economyWar economyWar economy is the term used to describe the contingencies undertaken by the modern state to mobilise its economy for war production. Philippe Le Billon describes a war economy as a "system of producing, mobilising and allocating resources to sustain the violence".Many states increase the degree of...
- Immanuel WallersteinImmanuel WallersteinImmanuel Maurice Wallerstein is a US sociologist, historical social scientist, and world-systems analyst...