The Irrationality of South Africa's Military Expenditure

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Periodical article

Title:	The Irrationality of South Africa's Military Expenditure
Author:	Harris, Geoff
Year:	2002
Periodical:	African Security Review
Volume:	11
Issue:	2
Pages:	75-84
Language:	English
Geographic term:	South Africa
Subjects:	public expenditure defence Politics and Government Military, Defense and Arms Economics and Trade
External link:	https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10246029.2002.9628133
Abstract:	It is almost universally accepted that security is achieved by having a strong military. South Africa's defence policy and practice is based squarely on such thinking. Yet this thinking can be challenged at a number of levels. In particular, it is not consistent with new thinking about security, in which territorial security is far less important, for example, than poverty and inequality; it is not consistent with present or conceivable future threats faced by the nation; and military expenditure hinders economic growth and thereby development. The article presents a number of alternative ways of achieving security that are, arguably, less costly and more effective than a conventional military. It concludes by sketching some of the broad features of a demilitarized society and some of the major tasks of demilitarization. Chief among these will be to change the way people think about the military and security. This article is a revised version of the author's inaugural lecture presented at the University of Natal in September 2000. Notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]