Interwar economies and defense as industrial investment

The desire to avoid another world war and redirect money into economic growth was understandable rather than inherently foolish. The argument places defense alongside education, health care, and infrastructure as spending that can build productive capacity rather than merely consume funds. Health care can extend working lives and preserve institutional memory, while education supplies communication and research skills alongside scientific and technical expertise. A warship order reaches across supply chains, sustains skilled employment, and funds engineering work during a downturn. Because it also supports research and industrial capability, defense spending can produce knowledge and products with wider economic value. The readiness cost of restraint therefore includes skills and institutional knowledge that cannot be recreated instantly during a crisis.