First World War and State’s economic behavour in Argentina’s military thought

Abstract

Economic Thought’ Studies in Latin America have not paid attention to military cadres as relevant social actors throughout most of the 20th century. In this article I try to trace the emergence of interest and concern for the economic behavior of the State in military reflections. I identify the First World War as a critical episode which introduces the question on the state economy. It comes from the hand of a conviction in military thought that from now on wars will be industrial or they won’t. Through a review of various military publications —journals, books and ministerial reports— I try to follow the course of their reflections, which start from the interest for the military power itself, but quickly come to consider the very possibility and the benefits of a State that support industrial planning.