AN EVOLUTIONARY VIEW OF DEFENCE 1. INTRODUCTION Defence is an activity whose goal is the protection of national interests, whatever these might be. One of its essential elements is its coercive power to influence the intentions and the behaviour of a potential adversary and thus preventing that such interests are compromised. Even though this coercion may take on many forms, such as political or diplomatic sanctions, a particularly important one is the use of violence, traditionally the remit of the armed forces and the Ministries of Defence. This article looks at how to obtain the military capabilities supporting such a mission from the perspective of evolutionary economics. An analysis of this kind sheds new light on the subject and allows us to untangle some of the problems associated with an efficient management of defence, that is to say, enabling these capabilities to provide the greatest security at the lowest cost. We will see how these capabilities develop endogenous processes of change that alter the structure, procedures and means employed in defence. In order to meet this objective, the article has been organised in the following manner: firstly, it briefly summarises the key concepts of evolutionary economics. Secondly, it examines two types of methods or technologies used by society to deal with the problems that interfere with the achievement of its objectives. Thirdly, it analyses how the armed forces obtain military capabilities. Fourthly, it examines how to obtain the means required for these capabilities, an activity in which industry plays a key role. In fifth place, the consequences of this way of proceeding are discussed and the most salient problems highlighted. In sixth place, it examines the practical implications. The article ends with some brief conclusions. 2. KEY CONCEPTS OF EVOLUTIONARY ECONOMICS Before proceeding with a description of the acquisition of capabilities, it is interesting to examine the origin and key concepts of this theory. Thorstein Veblen, Joseph Schumpeter and, to a lesser extent, Frederick Hayek were the precursors of this theory, which first came into being at the beginning of the twentieth century. However, it was in the sixties when it gathered substantial momentum thanks to the contributions of academics like Richard Nelson, Sydney Winter, Kenneth Arrow, Giovanni Dosi, John Metcalfe, Richard Langlois, Joseph Stiglitz or Herbert Simon, to name its most prominent advocates. http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee 311
Revista del IEEE 6
To see the actual publication please follow the link above