Article in the CSR Magazin (in German)

The Defense Industry - A Necessary Evil for a Just World?

The conflict in the Ukraine, the horrific acts of the Islamic State or the attacks on free speech in Paris in early 2015 show that maintaining the state monopoly on the legitimate use of force may at times depend on the state's access to and command over armed forces.

Germany is, after the USA and Russia, the world's third largest arms exporting nation while only about half the weaponry produced in Germany is being delivered to its own armed forces, police or other domestic authorities. In this article in the CSR Magazin journalist Jan Thomas Otte, who also publishes the online magazine Karriere Einsichten, takes a look at both, the human tragedies that these arms cause but also at the economic impact of the arms industry which is accounting for over 300'000 jobs in Germany.

The Humanistic Management Center provided some views on questions raised in this article. Why a legalistic view will not suffice to create legitimacy for arms exports or how widespread diffusion of responsibility in this industry can be mitigated were some of the topics raised. However we also need to come to terms with the fact that dreaming up a world without arms in the comfort of a democratic state where the rule of law is upheld will not help those who suffer from armed conflict. Clearly there are strong arguments for desiring a world without arms; many pragmatic steps are providing the greatest opportunities to get us there so the conclusion of this article.

Wirtschaftsethik braucht Mut

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