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Snakes and ladders: The development and multiple reconstructions of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s military expenditure data

Author

Listed:
  • Sam Perlo-Freeman

    (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Sweden)

  • Elisabeth Skons

    (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Sweden)

Abstract

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s military expenditure database is the only long-run, consistent dataset on military expenditure with global coverage. Even though SIPRI’s military expenditure data collection dates back almost to the organization’s beginning in 1966, until recently, consistent data series for most countries have only been available as from 1988 onward. As this article discusses, the history of SIPRI’s military expenditure project includes a number of breaks, the result of staff transitions and failures of record-keeping. As a result, reconstructing the data has been necessary on a number of occasions. The most recent such effort has now succeeded in extending the data backward from 1988 for the great majority of countries—in most cases at least to the 1960s, and for some countries as far back as 1959. This article sets out this history of advances, setbacks, and reconstructions and the methodologies used. In particular, the results of the latest reconstruction effort are presented, and thoughts for future developments laid out.

Suggested Citation

  • Sam Perlo-Freeman & Elisabeth Skons, 2016. "Snakes and ladders: The development and multiple reconstructions of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s military expenditure data," Economics of Peace and Security Journal, EPS Publishing, vol. 11(2), pages 5-13, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:epc:journl:v:11:y:2016:i:2:p:5-13
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Irving B. Kravis & Robert E. Lipsey, 1991. "The International Comparison Program: Current Status and Problems," NBER Chapters, in: International Economic Transactions: Issues in Measurement and Empirical Research, pages 437-468, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Charles Shaaba Saba & Nicholas Ngepah & Christian Nsiah, 2020. "Convergence in military expenditure and economic growth in Africa and its regional economic communities: evidence from a club clustering algorithm," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 1832344-183, January.
    2. J. Paul Dunne & Nan Tian, 2019. "Military Expenditures and Economic Growth," School of Economics Macroeconomic Discussion Paper Series 2019-05, School of Economics, University of Cape Town.
    3. Christos Kollias & Suzanna Maria Paleologou & Panayiotis Tzeremes & Nickolaos Tzeremes, 2018. "The demand for military spending in Latin American countries," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 27(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Giorgio d’Agostino & J. Paul Dunne & Luca Pieroni, 2017. "Does Military Spending Matter for Long-run Growth?," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 429-436, July.
    5. J. Paul Dunne & Ron P. Smith, 2020. "Military Expenditure, Investment and Growth," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(6), pages 601-614, August.
    6. Sam Perlo-Freeman, 2017. "SIPRI’s New Long Data-set on Military Expenditure: The Successes and Methodological Pitfalls," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 404-421, July.
    7. Charles Shaaba Saba & Nicholas Ngepah, 2019. "Military expenditure and economic growth: evidence from a heterogeneous panel of African countries," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1), pages 3586-3606, January.
    8. J. Paul Dunne & Nan Tian, 2016. "Military expenditure and economic growth, 1960–2014," Economics of Peace and Security Journal, EPS Publishing, vol. 11(2), pages 50-56, October.
    9. Christos Kollias & Suzanna-Maria Paleologou, 2019. "Military spending, economic growth and investment: a disaggregated analysis by income group," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 935-958, March.
    10. Christos Kollias & Suzanna-Maria Paleologou & Panayiotis Tzeremes & Nickolaos Tzeremes, 2017. "Defence expenditure and economic growth in Latin American countries: evidence from linear and nonlinear causality tests," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 26(1), pages 1-25, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    SIPRI; military expenditure;

    JEL classification:

    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War

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