JOURNAL ARTICLE

Fiscal Space and the Supply of Pro‐Government Militias.

  • Published In: Journal of Public Economic Theory, 2024, v. 26, n. 6. P. 1 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Lehmann, M. Christian 3 of 3

Abstract

Militias hamper state‐building by undermining the government's monopoly of violence, which creates an environment of anarchy. Yet many governments collaborate with them. These pro‐government militias (PGMs), such as paramilitary groups, are not only a poor‐country phenomenon, that is, economic growth does not seem to eradicate these armed nonstate actors: Intriguingly, cross‐country data reveals a U‐shaped relationship between GDP per capita and PGM presence. This article presents an economic theory of PGM supply that can explain this puzzling relationship and provide actionable ways for international actors (e.g., UN) to discourage the emergence of PGMs. However, the theory also cautions that some common international policies (e.g., development aid) may unintentionally encourage PGM supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Public Economic Theory. 2024/12, Vol. 26, Issue 6, p1
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Military History and Science
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:1097-3923
  • DOI:10.1111/jpet.70007
  • Accession Number:181108654
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Public Economic Theory is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.