The American Public's Defense Spending Preferences in the Post-Cold War Era

Abstract

The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union have produced marked changes in the defense spending preferences of politically informed Americans, but relatively little change among the 60 percent or so of the public least informed about politics. The overall level of defense spending preferred by well-informed citizens is significantly lower than during the Cold War and significantly less related to ideology and isolationism. Willingness to use force in the international arena remains the primary determinant of defense spending preferences among both well-informed and relatively uninformed citizens. Willingness to use force is in turn primarily related to basic social and cultural values, including trust in people and symbolic patriotism.

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