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Is Happiness Really a Warm Gun? The Consequences of U.S. Weapons Sales for Political Violence

Author

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  • Arvind Magesan

    (University of Calgary)

  • Eik Leong Swee

Abstract

We exploit exogenous shifts in the cost of purchasing commercial weapons from the U.S. to uncover the causal effect of U.S. weapons purchases on political violence. We find that weapons purchases reduce the likelihood of political repression but increase the likelihood of onset of civil war in purchasing countries. The results suggest that state investment in military capability incites civil war in countries where state repression of an aggrieved opposition would have otherwise prevailed.

Suggested Citation

  • Arvind Magesan & Eik Leong Swee, "undated". "Is Happiness Really a Warm Gun? The Consequences of U.S. Weapons Sales for Political Violence," Working Papers 2015-09, Department of Economics, University of Calgary, revised 25 Jun 2015.
    • Handle: RePEc:clg:wpaper:2015-09
    as

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    File URL: https://econ.ucalgary.ca/sites/econ.ucalgary.ca.manageprofile/files/unitis/publications/1-6304078/MagesanSweeJune15.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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