Guns and Sugar; The Defence Industry  

Oleh:

[s.n]

Jenis: Article from Bulletin/Magazine
Dalam koleksi: The Economist (http://search.proquest.com/) vol. 407 no. 8837 (May 2013), page 57-59.
Topik: Military Weapons; International Trade; Contracts; Corruption in Government; Politics

Ketersediaan

Perpustakaan Pusat (Semanggi) Nomor Panggil: EE29.76 Non-tandon: 1 (dapat dipinjam: 0) Tandon: tidak ada

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Imagine that Apple could sell iPhones in Brazil only if it ploughed 20% of its projected revenues there into local technology firms. That may sound absurd, but this is what happens when governments buy arms from foreign contractors. In procurement it is standard to supplement the main deal with a side contract, usually undisclosed, that outlines additional investments that the winning bidder must make in local projects or else pay a penalty. Welcome to the murky world of "offsets". The practice came of age in the 1950s, when Dwight Eisenhower forced West Germany to buy American-made defence gear to compensate for the costs of stationing troops in Europe. Since then it has grown steadily and is now accepted practice in 120 countries. It has its own industry newsletter and feeds a lively conference circuit. The latest jamboree, hosted by the Global Offset and Countertrade Association, was held this week in Florida. Defence executives, officials and middlemen gathered there amid forecasts that the industry could double in size over the next few years. Yet its very structure serves to mask a build-up in the unrecognised financial liabilities of companies. It also, critics argue, fosters corruption, especially in poorer parts of the world.

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