Scholars have long debated whether states rely on allies or arms for security, but findings are inconsistent. This study argues that regime type is key—democratic allies make internal arms less necessary, while alliances with non-democracies lead to higher military spending in democracies.

The research analyzes defense pacts and military expenditures from 1950-2001 across various countries.

Data & Methods

Drawing on quantitative data spanning five decades covering global defense dynamics,

this analysis employs statistical controls to isolate the effect of democratic ally relationships

on internal arms spending, accounting for potential bidirectional influences between these variables.

Key Findings

• Democratic alliances are significantly associated with reductions in military expenditure among democracies • Non-democratic alliances show no such correlation, suggesting democratic credibility fundamentally alters a state's defense calculus • The findings resolve previous empirical contradictions by incorporating regime type as the crucial moderating factor

This research shows that political science must consider institutional context when examining international relations and security strategies.