The Bello-Economics Age: How States are Militarizing in a Turbulent World Order

The threat and reality of major war has become the dominant and most pressing concern for countries around the world. In this new bello-economics age, states are scrambling to prepare for war not only by getting their armed forces ready but also by pursuing whole-of-nation efforts to fortify and militarize their economies. Bello-economics encompasses the mobilization and expansion of defense production, opening up the civil-military dual-use domain, the protection of critical supply chains, the pursuit of technological self-reliance, the stockpiling of strategic resources, and the use of economic coercion. Though these practices are not new, they are rippling across the international system. Russia’s war against Ukraine, intensifying U.S.-China competition, conflict in the Middle East, and doubts about U.S. security guarantees have accelerated this shift. In this policy brief, IGCC co-director Tai Ming Cheung, a professor at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, examines Russia, China, and the United States, and shows that states, especially great power states, are pursuing bello-economic strategies in different ways and for different purposes. Cheung also argues that greater preparedness can strengthen deterrence while simultaneously intensifying arms races, protectionism, and the political influence of national security institutions.

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