For most nations, military spending is a necessity. It is a way to secure their borders, provide for a common defense with allies, and protect the population. How much spending is too much? Here are some pros and cons of military spending to consider that will help to answer that question.
The Pros of Military Spending
1. It provides employment opportunities.
Military spending isn’t just about creating soldiers. It also creates ships, trucks, tanks, weapons, and other needed military items. Military spending creates billions of dollars in economic output globally every year.
2. It allows a nation to stay prepared.
Rumors of wars seem to be constantly circulating these days. Military spending to keep equipment and personnel prepared can cut response times and increase the chances of providing safety.
3. It supports entire communities.
A small island town like Oak Harbor, WA relies on military spending thanks to the presence of NAS Whidbey. If the US Navy didn’t have personnel stationed there, the business opportunities in that community would be very different – something that is true for many other communities.
4. It provides security.
Military spending heightens security thanks to highly trained personnel placed in highly volatile situations.
The Cons of Military Spending
1. Something has to be sacrificed.
The US spends over $600 billion in military spending annually. To provide that level of funding, other public and social services must receive fewer funds.
2. Waste is easily generated.
Without proper infrastructure and supervision, military spending can quickly become wasteful. Who wouldn’t want to keep $1 billion for themselves?
3. Modern military equipment is quite expensive.
The EA-6B Prowler has a cost of $50 million per aircraft and is expected to be used until 2019. It’s replacement, the EA-18G Growler, has a 20% higher cost.
4. War always costs more.
The upper income bracket tax rates during war time in the US were above 90%. Military spending might provide jobs, but those jobs create income that becomes taxed higher in times of conflict.
The pros and cons of military spending tend to be more beneficial than negative in nature, but that is why a military is in existence in the first place. It keeps people safe and prevents future threats with its presence.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.
