INTRODUCTION: Why Study the Economic History of War?

In February 2022, most observers in the world awoke to the news of a major Russian invasion of Ukraine that continues, eliciting anger, shock, and confusion in both civilians and governmental officials everywhere. In October 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked Israeli civilians in a brutal fashion, and Israel has been retaliating by seeking to root Hamas out of Gaza, leading to extensive civilian casualties and worldwide attention. Moreover, less publicized conflicts and other crises continue in various countries and regions - in fact, there are more than 100 conflicts going on currently (July 2024) in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia (see Geneva Academy 2024, https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink” xlink:href=“https://geneva-academy.ch/galleries/today-s-armed-conflicts”>https://geneva-academy.ch/galleries/today-s-armed-conflicts). While the idea for this volume pre-dates the Russian invasion and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, understanding the economic realities of warfare has become more important than ever, as the conditions and likelihood of international conflicts and war continue to increase. To provide context for these events, this volume provides a series of chapters on how economies, societies, and war have interacted throughout history.