Two Dismal Sciences Are Better Than One— Economics and the Study of National Security: A Review Essay

Abstract

“War is economics by other means,” writes Ethan Kapstein of the University of Minnesota in his review of  The Dark Side of the Force: Economic Foundations of Conflict Theory, by Jack Hirshleifer. Kapstein assesses the contributions of economic theory to the study of conflict and national security since the end of World War II, arguing that scholars failed to appreciate the value of economics as an analytical tool in developing and assessing national defense policy. He concludes with recommendations for further work in this field of inquiry.