From Defense to Development

The 1990s was a period of remarkable progress in peaceful transition in the world, from South Africa to the former Soviet Union to, somewhat more tentatively, Northern Ireland and the Middle East. Spending on the military plummeted almost 40% worldwide. Although tensions and a worrisome rise in militarism are still percolating in the world, our knowledge and practice of conflict resolution has expanded enormously. Almost all people, even our military leaders, would agree that investments such as clean water, agricultural productivity and above all, education, are far more powerful in achieving human welfare than spending on war and defense.