
A new hope for Europe’s ailing economies: the military
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A massive military buildup across Europe could achieve what governments have failed to do in years: jump-start a sluggish economy, seed new innovations and create new industries. Countries from the U.K.
to Germany and Denmark have announced vast increases in military spending to counter Russia’s threats as the U.S. warns Europe not to take America’s protection for granted. For some economists, this could be just what the region needs to support an under-pressure manufacturing sector and unlock new engines for growth and exports.
There are numerous hurdles along the way, including a skills shortage, and the rewards might be unevenly distributed, they warn. Rearmament could mean sacrifices in some areas as the peace dividend Europe has enjoyed since the end of the Cold War is unwound. Yet recent economic research suggests the benefits of the dividend, which was used primarily to fund a steady expansion in the welfare state, might have been exaggerated.
The European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, this month unveiled a “ReArm Europe" initiative aimed at mobilizing around €800 billion, equivalent to about $868 billion, for military spending. In Germany, likely future Chancellor Friedrich Merz has floated plans to exempt such spending from the country’s strict self-imposed debt limits. Denmark said last month it would increase its defense budget to more than 3% of gross domestic product over the next two years, while the U.K.
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