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Introduction
Military spending always triggers a debate over its overwhelming allocation in some countries, at the risk of undermining basic facilities such as healthcare and education. The US is the biggest spender on defense, China and India.
The USA alone accounted for a $754 billion annual budget for September 2022. This amount is more than 10 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It also is equal to the combined defense spending of the next nine countries in the list of top military spenders. Some valid grounds for cutting down military spending are listed below.
Military Budgets Eat Into Welfare Programs
Most countries that spend heavily on military investment and expansion allocate only a fraction of their budgets to public infrastructures such as healthcare, education, water, and power supply. These indices affect a country’s development and happiness score.
Adds to the Debt of a County
Excessive military spending is directly proportional to excessive borrowing by a state. Such heavy spending increases the budget deficit of a country year on year. This puts the exchequer under a terrible burden and provokes the state to make decisions that lead to a rise in inflation.
Cannot Help Combat Health Crisis
The Covid-19 pandemic has proven that excess spending on the military does not help in times of a health crisis. Most countries, including the three biggest spenders - the US, China, and India - saw their health infrastructure hindered, resulting in the death of millions of citizens. When healthcare workers were fighting for masks and ventilators, the military was sitting over fat budgets in these countries.
Precipitates Climate Change
Military activities demand the large-scale use of fossil fuels. This, in turn, results in a staggering carbon footprint that undeniably precipitates climate change.
Military budgets should not be at the cost of public welfare. Military spending should be brought down by the countries in a collective move to improve the social and development sectors that require urgent expansion and improvement.
Conclusion
Such huge allocations to defense for contracting weapons manufacturing and purchase, recruitment, and innovation in arms technology create a skewed spending pattern by democracies that claim to be welfare states. The Covid-19 pandemic crippled the healthcare systems in most countries, exposing the gap between welfare spending and military budgets.
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FAQs
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Which country has the biggest military budget?
The United States. For the years 2021-2022, it allocated a budget in excess of 750 billion dollars, which is the combined spending of the next nine countries on the list of top spenders.
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Where does India rank in military spending?
India has the third-biggest defense budget in the world. It allocated more than 70 billion dollars in 2021-22 to defense spending.
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Does military spending aid technological advances?
Yes. The military is responsible for several utilitarian technologies, such as the microwave and mobile phones.
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How does cutting down on military spending help?
Every rupee spent on the military is a rupee denied to civilian welfare. Even a fraction of the military budget can help strengthen public infrastructure in healthcare and schools.
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Will a reduction in military spending risk national security?
Better assessment and dovetailing of pre-existing programs, ending the annual escalation in its budget, and decommissioning redundant initiatives can help streamline military spending.
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