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ADMINISTERING BRITAIN'S ARMS TRADE
Author(s) -
PHYTHIAN MARK,
LITTLE WALTER
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.313
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1467-9299
pISSN - 0033-3298
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9299.1993.tb00974.x
Subject(s) - commonwealth , christian ministry , administration (probate law) , promotion (chess) , government (linguistics) , public administration , politics , control (management) , intervention (counseling) , international trade , function (biology) , business , political science , economics , law , management , philosophy , linguistics , evolutionary biology , psychiatry , biology , psychology
This article examines the administration of Britain's overseas arms trade through a consideration of the role of the main government departments concerned with its control and regulation ‐ the Department of Trade and Industry, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. Additionally it examines the activities of ‘arms‐length’ public agencies such as the Defence Export Services Organisation and International Military Services whose job it is to promote arms sales. It concludes that while the promotion function may (but does not have to) run counter to that of control, the latter is comprehensively and competently administered. If it fails ‐ and it has done so recently ‐ it is because of political intervention and not administrative shortcomings.