The Global Spread Of Arms: Political Economy Of International Security (Dilemmas in World Politics)

Today, despite the end of the cold war, more countries have more sophisticated weapons from more numerous suppliers than ever before. This is partly a product of continuing and growing conflicts—especially regional and interethnic ones—but it also reflects the political and economic difficulties of weaning public and private enterprise away from powerful and highly lucrative defense manufacturing and sales.In this compact yet comprehensive volume, Frederic Pearson surveys the broad terrain covered by the concept of “the security dilemma” and points out landmarks along the route proceeding from proliferation to economic interests, to potential “conversion,” to the future of defense production and marketing. Along the way we experience the lure of arms sales expositions and fairs and the quandary of deciding whether to arm victims of aggression. The author meticulously describes and documents the twin motives of “welfare and security” in the arms market: who buys weapons, who sells them, where they are produced, and how they are—and are not—used. Through a combination of data, anecdotes, illustrations, and narration accompanied by special feature boxes, we see how arms races have mounted historically and how they might be defused in this, the gathering post–Cold War order.From spears and axes to the radar-eluding stealth aircraft, The Global Spread of Arms charts the history of the arms dilemma and brings us up-to-date on myths and recent trends in weapons development internationally. Touching on issues ranging from multinational arms manufacturers to black and gray market consumers, from arms verification to arms autonomy, and from peace dividends to “peace through strength,” Pearson presents a balanced view of the policy debate about defense economies, collective security, and how to manage them.