Military Power and Food Security: A Cross-National Analysis of Less-Developed Countries, 1970-1990

Abstract

Addressing the longstanding debate over the social impact of military power and recent discussions of military-induced famine the authors conduct a panel analysis of aggregate food supply and child hunger rates in 75-79 less-developed countries (LDCs). Distinguishing between militarization as the growth of military resources and militarism as the use of military force to handle political conflicts the authors show that militarization is both beneficial and detrimental to food security whereas militarism is consistently detrimental. Arms imports and associated increased military spending plus praetorianism and military repression reduce food security whereas increased military participation and arms production boost food security. Increased food supply reduces child hunger and is largely confined to the more developed of the LDCs. These military power effects show net economic growth which trickles down to improve food supply and reduce child hunger among the more developed LDCs reflecting the growth of global economic inequality. Contrary to views that see militarization as a single unified process use of armed force is not strongly rooted in either praetorianism or militarization. (authors)