Allied Contributions to NATO Defense Efforts.
Abstract
The original intent of this effort was to examine what appeared to be a relatively clear-cut issue; namely, the constraining effect of social welfare spending on defense spending in Western European NATO countries. The obvious American belief is that the other NATO members have not increased their defense spending to levels consistent with the economic growth they have ben experiencing ever since the formation of the alliance. This view gives immediate rise to the question, what are they doing with their money? What the research has shown, and what the paper will atttempt to substantiate, is that, one, there is no reasonable mechanism for measuring burden sharing. There are only highly subjective mechanisms which eliminate from consideration as many factors as they include. Two, the available data will not support the conclusion that the other NATO members are not carrying their fair share of the defense burden. And finallly, there is not a good way of comparing defense and social welfare spending, but what comparisons are available show that a zero sum relationship does not exist between the two. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA158662
Entities
People
- T. J. Cawley
Organizations
- United States Army War College