A economia e a paz

Resumo

In this text, Jacques Fontanel demonstrates that, only recently,
contemporary economists have been concerned with defense economy,
as, frequently, peace, in their studies, was considered as something
given. The author reviews the five major currents of thought that analyse
the economical nature of defense effort, showing what it has been
representing along periods of time, for the liberals, Marxists, Keynesian
authors, for the Mercantilist School and for the adepts of econometric
studies. Following, emphasizes the economy of disarmament, approaching
questions such as: the military costs are, actually, external variables? Ali
disarmament is necessarily equivalent to a cut in military costs? There
exist, in fact, the so called "peace dividends"? Is there possibility of
conversion of the military industry? After, the author analyses the fundamental
principles of disarmament and the actual International context which
lead interrogations from the economists about the substitution of the military
war by the economical war. Concluding, J. Fontanel states that the
economical factors became permanent armament, where the economy
is transformed in an instrument of power used in the conflict of States, as
the food weapon. The author, finally, exhorts the influent segments of
society to a general concern in favor of peace.