Weapons, Security, and Oppression: A Normative Study of International Arms Transfers

In: The journal of political philosophy, Band 23, Heft 1, S. 23-39

Abstract

In this article I explore the ethical dimensions of one controversial international trade, namely, the arms trade. The arms trade merits attention for a number of reasons. First, it has been largely neglected by political philosophers. While various aspects of international trade have recently been subjected to philosophical scrutiny, the arms trade has been virtually ignored. Second, the arms trade bears heavily on the achievement of basic needs, that is, needs which must be met if an individual is to lead a minimally decent life. More specifically, the arms trade bears on the achievement of security. All weapons have the capacity to incapacitate, injure, and kill: in short, all weapons have the capacity to cause serious physical harm. Furthermore, they are purchased because they have that capacity. Their capacity to cause serious physical harm makes trade in these commodities particularly controversial, and particularly worthy of philosophical inquiry. Third, the arms trade is politically salient. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the US government has drastically ramped up arms sales to oppressive regimes regarded as valuable allies in the war on terror, and in the years since the Arab Spring large quantities of weapons have been transferred to rebel groups seeking to topple despotic rulers. It is thus important to question whether such transfers can be justified. Adapted from the source document.