The Militarization of the Western World

John Gillis and the contributors to this volume write about the distinction between militarism and militarization. Militarism, the more conventional concept, means the dominance of warlike values in society. It is typically used to refer to and to blame others, not ourselves. The term is the province of military and political historians. Militarization is a much newer concept. It refers to the process by which civil society organizes itself for the production of violence. The term is useful for a broad range of historians because it encompasses the economic, cultural and psychological preparations for war and their effects on society. The contributors look at the militarization of the United States and Europe in the 12th century. Militarism is considered something archaic that should diminish in modern society. Militarization, on the other hand, is growing. It is now a central feature of the modern world.