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Why War Is Not Enough: Military Defeat, the Division of Labor, and Military Professionalization

Toronto, Nathan

Abstract Details

2007, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Political Science.
Does war make states? If it does, it does not make professional militaries. Scholars have often linked war and state development, but one important process of state development – military professionalization – does not seem to follow the “war makes states” logic. There are two reasons for this. First, states are most likely to begin professionalizing the military in response, not to war or the threat of war, but to dire military defeats, which are defeats resulting in the occupation of national territory, abnormally high casualties, and the recognition of military incompetence. The humiliation associated with these dire defeats seems to spur political systems into action. Second, the division of labor tends to concentrate the population in urban centers and increase society's human capital and the level of resources available to the state. Thus, an advanced division of labor enables long-term military professionalization. The division of labor thus seems to be a necessary condition, and dire military defeats a sufficient condition, for thorough military professionalization. To evaluate these propositions, I use original data on military professionalism – compiled in a data set spanning from 1800 to 2005 – and case studies of military professionalization in Prussia, France, Turkey, and Egypt. The findings of this study suggest that we should rethink how states develop professional military institutions in response to war.
John Mueller (Advisor)

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Toronto, N. (2007). Why War Is Not Enough: Military Defeat, the Division of Labor, and Military Professionalization [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1166202109

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Toronto, Nathan. Why War Is Not Enough: Military Defeat, the Division of Labor, and Military Professionalization. 2007. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1166202109.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Toronto, Nathan. "Why War Is Not Enough: Military Defeat, the Division of Labor, and Military Professionalization." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1166202109

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)