Document2 Final

The text advocates for demilitarisation based on the premise that traditional military deterrence is often outdated and that security can be more cost-effectively achieved through non-violent means and human security frameworks. It proposes replacing 'rules of thumb' for military spending with rational cost-effectiveness analysis and objective security assessments. The author suggests that transparency in military budgeting is necessary for parliamentary oversight and that a 'National Ministry of Peacebuilding' should be established to manage the transition. While acknowledging the difficulty of generating a domestic 'peace dividend' in developing nations, the document highlights the potential for long-term economic and social gains through the reallocation of resources from military to civilian sectors.

• The author argues that traditional justifications for high military expenditure, such as deterrence against invasion, are increasingly outdated, suggesting that 'reassurance rather than deterrence' should be the priority for collective security.
• Current methods of determining military expenditure (milex) often rely on irrational 'rules of thumb'—such as limiting spending to a percentage of GDP or matching regional averages—which fail to connect spending to actual security needs.
• The document proposes a rational approach to military spending based on 'cost effectiveness analysis,' which compares the costs and security outcomes of military approaches against non-military alternatives.
• The author contends that military demands for secrecy regarding budgets are largely unnecessary, as most relevant data on military strength is already available through public sources like the SIPRI Yearbook and The Military Balance.
• To facilitate demilitarisation, the text recommends the creation of a 'National Ministry of Peacebuilding' to oversee the implementation of non-violent security alternatives.
• The concept of a 'peace dividend' (resources freed by reduced military spending) is noted as being difficult to realize in developing countries due to high expenditure needs, low revenue capacity, and the high costs of demobilisation and reintegration.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Document2 Final. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ACHIEVINGHARRIS4.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Document2 Final. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ACHIEVINGHARRIS4.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Document2 Final |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ACHIEVINGHARRIS4.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesnddocument2, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Document2 Final}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ACHIEVINGHARRIS4.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }