The arms race and health care.

Abstract

The probable medical consequences of nuclear war have attrac? ted much attention recently.1 2 Less well recognised are the economic effects of preparations for war, both nuclear and conventional, which have vital implications for the quality and quantity of health care both at home and throughout the world. The data presented here are mainly from the Western world, where such information is more freely available than behind the Iron Curtain. Official USSR figures for their military expendi? ture are certainly too low, but Western estimates of Russian expenditure on arms are equally certainly too high.3 4 There can be little doubt that the Russian economy, and hence standards of health care in the USSR and its satellites, is considerably damaged by its high level of military spending. Defence budgets are presented in such a way that it is difficult or impossible to estimate how military resources are divided between preparations for nuclear and conventional war,5 though figures of 20% for nuclear war for the super-powers and 10% for world military spending are usually quoted. Electronic equipment, delivery systems such as planes and missiles, and personnel can all be used for either nuclear or conventional war.