Although militarism is central to modern society, the analysis of it is very fragmented. This fragmentation arises because militarism is not a unitary phenomenon, but a portmanteau description covering a number of distinct aspects. These include: high levels of military expenditure; the militarisation of domestic social relations; the use of force in international relations; and the nuclear arms race. Each of the different aspects of militarism arises in an organic way from major conflicts in the modern world. Each has a particular momentum which arises partly from the dynamic of the conflict and partly from the dynamic of the corresponding form of military organisation and technology.
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