Military abolition: An idea whose time has come?

Some would argue that with the increase in military conflict we are currently witnessing around the world, it would be disastrous to consider abolishing the military. In this talk, I will consider some of the main arguments for and against abolishing the military, with particular focus on the New Zealand context. A key consideration will be whether the possession of militaries is cause or consequence of conflict, and whether increased security in today’s world could in fact, be achieved through non-military means. Some of the questions to be considered include: Is the New Zealand military equipped and trained to meet contemporary security threats? Do the costs of possessing a military outweigh the benefits? Are there alternatives to military-based national defence?

Professor Richard Jackson is the Leading Thinker Chair in Peace Studies at the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (NCPACS). He is the founding editor and current editor-in-chief of the journal Critical Studies on Terrorism, and the series editor of the Routledge Critical Terrorism Studies book series. He co-authored Abolishing the Military;Arguments and Alternatives published in BWB Texts.