Determinants of military expenditure in Zimbabwe

While many articles have been written on the determinants of military expenditure in developing countries, few have attempted to use a qualitative approach to investigate the underlying motives for military expenditure. This article uses data drawn from interviews with key informants and documentary sources to study the determinants of military expenditure in Zimbabwe. Findings suggest that Zimbabwe’s military expenditure since 1980 has been influenced more by internal political dynamics than by economic factors. The most significant factors include regime security, elite corruption and rent-seeking, liberation war ideology hangover, and fear.