Dark Underbelly of the Military-Industrial Complex

Abstract

Abstract

The military-industrial complex is a group which consists of defence companies, individuals present in the US Congress, and defence institutions that cooperate to sustain excessive military spending and enable corporate immunity from failure. Focusing on the United States as the central case, the paper analyses the operation of the ‘iron triangle,’ the global reach of the US military power and the structural conditions that render defence contractors ‘too big to fail.’ Through the case studies of the Lockheed bribery scandal, the BAE-Tanzania deal and contemporary arms transfers linked to the Gaza conflict, it further analyses how corruption, weak oversight, and geopolitical leverage enable powerful companies to profit while externalizing costs onto weaker states and civilian populations. The analysis further highlights how poor states become entangled in long-term dependency through military aid, procurement practices, and resource extraction networks. The paper concludes by identifying policy gaps and outlining practical reforms to strengthen accountability, reduce dependency and restore democratic control over defence policy.