The Post—Cold War World: Implications for Military Expenditure in the Developing Countries

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Abstract
Military expenditure in developing countries quintupled in constant dollars between 1960 and 1988, increasing at a rate twice that of per capita income and accounting for approximately 4.3 percent of gross national product (GNP) in 1988. Can such large outlays, in countries so drastically in need of capital to accelerate economic and social growth, be reduced? The paper argues that the end of the Cold War offers dramatic opportunities for moving in this direction. A combination of United Nations Security Council guarantees of territorial integrity; continuing reductions in conventional and nuclear arms by the great powers; tight control of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems; substantial limitations on arms exports; and tying development aid to reductions in military expenditure can reduce the risk of war among developing nations and halve military expenditure as a percentage of GNP by the end of the decade. International organizations, including the World Bank, can catalyze this process, and accelerate economic and social development without reducing security.

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