We are pleased to share – prepared with the support of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation – Warsaw Office – the publication “The War Economics. Military Spending in Poland and Europe”, produced as part of the new format of our Foundation’s journal Nasze Argumenty (“Our Arguments”).
Europe in the Shadow of Rearmament
The war in Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, and political decisions to dramatically increase military spending are reshaping Europe. Militarisation is no longer merely a matter of security – it is becoming a central organising principle of economic policy, state budgets, and the language of public debate.
But do rising defence expenditures truly enhance social security? What are their economic and social costs? Who benefits, and who bears the burden in this new “war economy”?
This report addresses these questions through an in-depth, multi-layered analysis of the consequences of growing defence spending in Poland and selected European countries.
What does the publication include?
A macroeconomic analysis of Poland (1999–2025) – Michał Menes examines how the dynamic growth of the defence budget affects public spending structures, public debt, investment, and industrial development. He raises questions about the real multiplier effect of military expenditure and the scale of dependence on arms imports.
A comparison of Poland and Russia – Małgorzata Kulbaczewska-Figat analyses processes of militarisation in both countries, highlighting the political and social consequences of subordinating the economy to the logic of war.
A perspective rooted in classical political economy – Gavin Rae draws on the traditions of Rosa Luxemburg, Michał Kalecki, and Tadeusz Kowalik to show that the critique of militarism has a long and still highly relevant intellectual tradition in Poland.
Case studies of the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany – The authors explore whether rearmament can serve as a development stimulus, or whether it instead deepens stagnation, inequality, and fiscal pressure.
An interview with Marc Botenga (MEP) – A conversation about the growing role of the arms industry within the European Union and the need to build a transnational, progressive alternative.
Why read this report?
This publication goes beyond simple arguments “for” or “against” military spending. It is a rigorous, data-driven study that:
- highlights the real budgetary and social costs of rising defence expenditures,
- analyses the impact of militarisation on social policy, public health, and civilian investment,
- places Poland within a broader European and global context,
- raises the fundamental question of what genuine security truly means.
Is security built solely through increased military spending?
Is an alternative possible – one based on social investment, ecological transformation, and international cooperation?
We invite you to read the report and to join the debate on the direction in which Poland and Europe are heading.