In World War II, it was common for government-organized relations between the military and businesses to be established. Commodity committees were set up to determine allocations, prices, or other controls. Businesses were able to make a lot of money from the military, which was why they lobbied for political leaders and won contracts.
Dwight Eisenhower, a mid-1960s defense minister, warned that the military industrial complex was a "grave threat" to the American people. He feared that the complex might grow in size, and impact US policy. He was concerned that the military would grow in power and be unable to compete with civilian projects. He warned against an "nuclear arms race", and the unchecked expansion of the military. He also feared the complex would lead to an escalation in the Cold War.
The American military industrial system has a lot of influence on American foreign policies. Its biggest impact is on international arms sales, cooperative production programmes, and multinational corporations within the arms industry. It has been underwritten by a political ideology that promotes industrial war production. It is interested in maintaining colonial markets, military-strategic views of internal affairs, continual development of weaponry and preservation of colonial market.
The military industrial system is a combination of defense contractors, government bureaucracies and interest groups. The United States Department of Defense is the world's largest bureaucracy. These bureaucracies are a point of contention amongst conservatives, who worry that military spending is too high and leads to economic dislocation at home. They also argue that separate parts of the military-industrial complex may prove to be counterforces.
The United States has an ambitious strategy for its foreign policy. It has developed a system of combating terrorism. It also has a military and industrial complex to support this strategy. It has been a source for corruption and abuse, particularly through government contracting. The military industrial complicated is a problem that must be addressed.
There is a growing concern about the ties between the military and defense industry. Some conservatives fear that the military industry complex causes dangerous tensions elsewhere, while others worry that it leads domestic economic turmoil. However, it is not yet clear how much of the civilian population is involved. It is also unclear how many military personnel are involved.
The military industrial system is made up of huge industrial corporations that are heavily dependent on contracts to earn their profits. To stay afloat, they have to outdo their competition constantly. Their political survival will depend on their compliance in pursuing their procurement interests.
The government-organized procurement of military equipment has been plagued by corruption and cost overruns. The military is a source of money for politicians and the military is a recipient of money from them. The military also plays a significant role in civilian life. It is important that you examine the sources of this money.
Dwight Eisenhower warned in his farewell speech that military-industrial compounds may be "against American interests." He warned against the collusion of interests and warned against policies that would not benefit the American people.