Editorial: World's nations must not rely on military buildups as engine of economic growth
Countries are rushing to expand their militaries as international tensions rise. What is amplifying the danger is the move to link these buildups to e
The international community must refrain from relying on military expansion as a means to boost the global economy, warns an editorial citing the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. In 2025, global military spending reached a record $2.899 trillion, driven primarily by the U.S.-China rivalry and Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
European nations, pressured by Washington, have also increased defense budgets, with some forecasts predicting a potential $6.3 trillion (over 1 quadrillion yen) total by 2035. Countries like the U.S. and Japan are integrating defense industries into their economic growth strategies, while China's "military-civil fusion" under President Xi Jinping is also gaining momentum.
However, experts argue that such a strategy may not yield the expected economic benefits. The UN estimates that job creation from military spending is far lower than investments in education, healthcare, or clean energy, and the IMF warns that it could lead to higher prices and economic instability. In the past, military Keynesianism, the belief that defense spending creates demand, has proven unsuccessful, as seen in the Soviet Union's collapse and the U.S.'s economic exhaustion.
The post-Cold War period has seen peace dividends, with the internet evolving from a military monopoly to a driver of technological innovation. The editorial urges the international community to avoid reversing the peace dividend gains, defend global stability, and refrain from building military spending into economic policies.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
