The Wages of Peace: Disarmament in a Small Industrialized Economy (International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO)) Book

With the end of the Cold War, many nations have set about cutting their military spending, and visions of a large `peace dividend' have emerged. Yet, even today, the arms race remains one of the major projects of humankind, and one of the most unproductive.The book charts a middle course between extravagant claims about the improvement in welfare, development and the environment to be funded by the peace dividend, and the dire assessments of how militarized economies will collapse as a result of disarmament, spiced with warnings that the savings may already have been squandered.Based on a decade of studies, many carried out for the United Nations and its specialized agencies, this book represents the most detailed examination to date of the economic effects of conversion for any country. It breaks new ground in applying comprehensive models to examine the economic and environmental effects of disarmament at the global, national and local levels, with a primary focus on Norway. The book also reviews the international literature on disarmament and conversion.The findings are cautiously optimistic and of general relevance to all developed countries. The most important peace dividend is peace itself, but some economic gains may also be achieved.The Wages of Peace is the most detailed examination to date of the economic effects of conversion for any country and will be of interest to those working in the fields of international economics, peace studies and international studies.Read More