The military spending of the Spanish State increased by 33% in 2015, reaching 12,852 million euros, compared to 9,596 million in the previous year. In other words, EUR 3.256 million has been spent, an increase of 1.3% of Spain’s GDP. The report by the Stockholm Research Centre indicates this. The Centre for Peace Research in Barcelona, for its part, has added to this figure other elements that could be included in the military budget and concluded that the actual figure is EUR 17.5 billion. In 2015, global military spending increased by 1% to $1.7 trillion, according to official data. In the world ranking, the United States ranks first, with $596,000 million and 36% of the total. Followed by China, with $215,000 million, followed by Saudi Arabia (82,700) and Russia (66,400).

The armaments industry is the sustainer of world capitalism, and in this way it rises in the bags, with great profits. Governments that manage this capitalism, on the contrary, are dismantling the welfare state and imposing strong cuts in social policies. But do not hesitate to allocate large sums to the military sector.

Citizens have to put pressure on governments to reorient that military spending and invest in real economy to generate employment or in social policies, pensions, culture and education. Every euro destined for military action represents a step backwards in the construction of the conditions of peace. If we want peace, we will have to invest in peace policies. And a good part of that peace is that we all have work, equality, justice, solidarity and accept migrants, even more so for political or economic reasons.