Defense Industry, Invest in a Strong Society!

Years of budget cuts have hollowed out the Dutch defense industry. Many companies disappeared, investments dried up, and those who worked in the sector often wisely kept quiet at parties. Because working in the defense industry often led to heated discussions.

The war in Ukraine has turned the world upside down. Russia piles war crime upon war crime, and suddenly it becomes clear how essential the defense industry is. Between 2021 and 2024, revenue doubled. The taboo among banks and pension funds about investing in the defense industry is slowly starting to disappear. And the European Commission wants to strengthen the European defense industry with the ReArm Europe plan. The time for shame is over.

Yet new criticism is already emerging. Some are bothered that defense companies make a profit. That is a strange attitude. These companies provide our soldiers with the best means to protect us. That is not a luxury, but a necessity in peacetime and especially now. And yes, companies are commercial enterprises that make a profit. That is their reason for existence, and with that reason comes responsibility.

Just now, as defense companies gain societal recognition, there is a unique opportunity: to show that profit and public value can go hand in hand. Not out of guilt, but out of strength. Because the war at the European eastern border is not the only struggle we are fighting. Our democracy is threatened both from the outside and from within. Polarization, conspiracy theories, fake news, and increasing intolerance undermine the foundations of our democratic rule of law. Russia and China are cleverly playing into this with hybrid warfare. Against these threats, frigates, radar systems, or drones alone will not help.

Democracy needs maintenance, as the Council of State recently emphasized. That maintenance begins, for example, with veterans telling their stories in schools: about war, freedom, and responsibility. About the realization that a society only works if we look beyond our own I. These projects are already taking place and are a great success. The demand is enormous, but there is insufficient funding to roll them out more broadly.

It is good that the cabinet is investing heavily in Defense. But investing in the resilience of our democracy is at least as important, and that is still lagging too much behind. Here lies an excellent opportunity for the defense industry to show that it is more than a well-oiled production chain of weapon systems.

Invest, even if it’s just a fraction of the profit, in projects that strengthen our society. Support education, democratic awareness, and societal resilience. Establish a Veterans for Peace program, for example in collaboration with the Dutch Veterans Institute and the Vfonds. Because those who defend freedom at the front know better than anyone how vulnerable it is. And know how important it is that we continue to protect it steadfastly here, in classrooms, community centers, and media.

The industry has the wind at its back. Now is the time to also show moral leadership, take up the challenge, and invest in a strong society.