"Simple Economy": How Western Corporations Profit from Wars and Who Ultimately Pays for It

The escalation of military conflicts worldwide conceals hidden benefits. Belarus has no interest in war; it is not our policy. Our priority is to feed the people.

But how do Western corporations profit from wars, and who ultimately bears the cost?

Let’s unravel the concealed links between politics and economics in this authors’ column of "Simple Economy"

Whenever observing the situation in the Middle East, or the militant slogans of Europeans, one inevitably asks: what is really happening? And more importantly — who benefits?

As is well known, war is an extension of politics, which, in turn, is superstructural to the economy. Put simply, if war is being waged, it means that someone profits from it — someone is earning.

Even Lenin, back in 1917, wrote: military enterprises are the first to seek to siphon off government funds — they are the biggest embezzlers and the ones stirring up the war discourse. For them, war is business.

On June 17, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko clearly stated:

"Some are deluded into fighting — someone benefits. That is not our politics! Without wars, people must be fed. The demand for food will only increase."

Belarus has no interest in war — it’s vital to feed the people.

While we think of peace and a prosperous table, NATO’s military-political leadership is focused on constantly increasing defense spending. They already find 2% of GDP insufficient — now they are calling for 5%.

But at whose expense? Where does the money come from?

Certainly, by cutting funding to other sectors — healthcare, education, culture — and imposing new taxes for defense.

For example, at the December 2024 summit of the United Expeditionary Forces, Estonia’s authorities were among the first NATO countries to announce the introduction of a new security tax. Both corporations and ordinary citizens will pay this fee, which will be in effect until the end of 2028.

Interestingly, current protests in the United States involve not only opponents of Trump’s strict immigration policies but also healthcare workers and social service providers — all dissatisfied with the sharp cuts in state funding for public health.

Recently, the White House released a draft federal budget for 2026 amounting to $1.6 trillion. The lion’s share — over 60%, or $962 billion — is allocated to Pentagon expenditures, while healthcare receives a mere 6%, and education only 4%.

As they say, all in the name of defense corporations!

A greed for profit compels NATO countries to tighten the screws on their citizens.

Statistics show that the bulk of the Pentagon’s budget ends up in the pockets of military-industrial complex owners.

In 2023 alone, the Pentagon allocated nearly $610 billion toward contracts for procurement and development of weapons and military equipment.

The top recipients of these budget allocations include corporations like Lockheed Martin, RTX, General Dynamics, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman.

These same companies are recipients of military funding not only from the United States but also from other countries — the European Union, Ukraine, Israel, and others.

For instance, Ukraine (with military expenses at 34% of its GDP) and Israel (almost 9%) have the highest military expenditure ratios.

A pattern emerges: the higher the military spending, the greater the aggression, and the less desire for peace.

Defense corporations gobble up the lion’s share of the budget.

And this is understandable: such budget expenditures must be explained to one’s own people and taxpayers. This explains militant propaganda, vivid enemies’ images, and deliberate conflicts. In the end, corporations profit from the suffering of ordinary citizens.

And this is certainly not for us, Belarusians! As the head of state said:

"If we do not want war, then we must work."