The economics of war : profiteering militarism and imperialism Contents: Preface 1. War is a racket: in memory of Smedley Butler 2. The causes of war 3. War versus peace: the outcome of a binary process 4. Imperialism as an enterprise 5. Wars of aggression and false flags 6. War profiteering the military industrial complex and the deep state 7. A taxonomy of war profiteers 8. Banks as war profiteers 9. Further thoughts References Index. Bad things occur and persist because of the presence of powerful beneficiaries. In this provocative and illuminating book Imad Moosa illustrates the economic motivations behind the last 100 years of international conflict citing the numerous powerful individual and corporate war profiteers that benefit from war. Inspired and informed by War is a Racket the 1935 work of General Smedley Butler the author explores historic and contemporary incidents of war profiteering identifying individuals and groups that have increased their wealth through the supply of weaponry mercenaries provisions and finance in times of war. This book offers a caustic indictment of the military industrial complex exploring the privatisation of conflict that has fuelled war across the globe. Providing a contemporary in depth analysis of the economics of war this book is critical for academics and students of war studies international relations and military and political history. Policy makers will also benefit from this books comprehensive analysis of wartime policy and practice