Ask the Author: Nicholas Gilby
Answered Questions (1)
Nicholas Gilby
Hi Sara,
I don't think the premise in your question ("arms are in c99% of the cases useless") is correct. I don't think anyone can know what percentage of arms exported are actually used in anger. Certainly many major weapons systems are not used in fighting for prolonged periods. But given that the shelf-life of them is typically measured in decades and that political change can be extremely rapid and unexpected (Arab Spring, Ukraine), there is no guarantee that weapons that appear "useless" now will not be "useful" to some undesirable person, group or state later.
In the second part of your question I think you are asking me what harm corruption does, and thus why we should care. I think I would answer that the type of corruption I talk about (i.e. in arms procurement where decisions are taken by people at the top of the regime in importing countries) is basically theft by elites of the resources of their country from their people. If the country is poor, that means fewer or no resources for basic health or educational services, which means much worse life chances for the population. In richer (say the Gulf) countries what this means is that the precious and finite natural resources they have are not deployed for the country's development. So in the short-term corruption may appear to make no difference, but in the long-term it will.
Lastly I think grand corruption simply sets the tone for others, and encourages abuses throughout society by those with power, to the detriment of the ordinary and defenceless.
I hope that answers your question.
Yours sincerely,
Nicholas Gilby
I don't think the premise in your question ("arms are in c99% of the cases useless") is correct. I don't think anyone can know what percentage of arms exported are actually used in anger. Certainly many major weapons systems are not used in fighting for prolonged periods. But given that the shelf-life of them is typically measured in decades and that political change can be extremely rapid and unexpected (Arab Spring, Ukraine), there is no guarantee that weapons that appear "useless" now will not be "useful" to some undesirable person, group or state later.
In the second part of your question I think you are asking me what harm corruption does, and thus why we should care. I think I would answer that the type of corruption I talk about (i.e. in arms procurement where decisions are taken by people at the top of the regime in importing countries) is basically theft by elites of the resources of their country from their people. If the country is poor, that means fewer or no resources for basic health or educational services, which means much worse life chances for the population. In richer (say the Gulf) countries what this means is that the precious and finite natural resources they have are not deployed for the country's development. So in the short-term corruption may appear to make no difference, but in the long-term it will.
Lastly I think grand corruption simply sets the tone for others, and encourages abuses throughout society by those with power, to the detriment of the ordinary and defenceless.
I hope that answers your question.
Yours sincerely,
Nicholas Gilby
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Jul 28, 2014 10:50PM · flag