Source: EconLog
by Pierre Lemieux
“A dictator needs a powerful army, a fortiori if he intends to invade foreign countries. …Recall the chilling 2018 video where Putin showcased his new hypersonic missiles …. his regime financed research in this field and encouraged its scientists to participate in related scientific conferences in the Western world. The dictatorial regime now claims that its scientific advances may have been partly leaked during these international conferences, although this is probably part of the two signals it wants to transmit: first, to external enemies, actual and potential, that the Russian government has new missiles more effective than any other in the world; second, to its scientists. academics, and apparatchiks, that any loyalty lapse will be severely punished. … Note another consequence of these persecutions: Russian scientists are now afraid and have a strong incentive to avoid meaningful research in areas somehow related to military affairs.” (10/05/24)
https://www.econlib.org/the-dictators-incentives-and-trade-offs/