Military spending as a share of total national output is a worthless indicator for helping to determine the American public’s genuine defense needs. As a political tool for protecting Pentagon budgets from prudent cutbacks, however, it excels.
Robert Higgs is Retired Senior Fellow in Political Economy, Founding Editor and former Editor at Large of The Independent Review.
Defense and Foreign PolicyDefense BudgetEconomic PolicyEconomyFederal Budget PolicyGovernment and PoliticsGovernment Waste/PorkTaxes and Budget
Other Independent Review articles by Robert Higgs
Fall 2019 Pressure-Release Valves in Participatory Fascism
Winter 2018/19 Two Worlds: Politics and Everything Else
Fall 2018 Against the Whole Concept and Construction of the Balance of International Payments
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