ABSTRACT
With rising unemployment, protectionism and East-West tensions afflicting the advanced economies of the North, one would like to see hope for world betterment fulfilled at least by the “new nations” of the Third World. Free of colonialism and almost universally committed to social progress and self-determination, these nations – some more than others – have in fact improved mass welfare and begun the process of industrialization during the past two decades. Except for a small and declining number of Third World nations, military burdens are heavy and/or rising. Arms races, domestic militarism, regional and especially internal wars are ubiquitous. The military burden and militarization hypotheses were supported by some coefficients/while for a large majority no significant differences appeared, and in other instances the militarization/welfare associations were positive. Military regimes were not only more repressive but also demonstrated higher military burdens but lower expenditure increases.
