Fear, Greed, or Garage Sale? The Analysis of Military Expenditure in East Asia
Department
Social Work and Human Services
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1997
Abstract
This paper examines the determinants of military expenditures in eight East Asian countries from 1983 to 1993. In a pooled cross-sectional time-series analysis, it finds that the security threats (either external or internal) have not been a factor in determining the governments' defense burdens. Instead, economic and bureaucratic budgetary factors are better predictors of their defense decision-making. Military corruption and subsidized defense industries are the main domestic elements driving up the budgets; but this bureaucratic 'irrationality' is checked and balanced by economic rationality, for the defense burdens generally correlate with the availability of economic resources.
Journal Title
The Pacific Review
Journal ISSN
0951-2748
Volume
10
Issue
2
First Page
274
Last Page
288
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1080/09512749708719221