1
Security at What Cost?
Arms Transfers to the Developing World and Human Rights
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the relationship between arms transfers to developing nations and its
effect on human rights. Included in this study are 88 countries spanning the time period of 1982-
1997. In this study, I use Shannon Lindsey Blanton’s (1999) model of arms transfers to assess the
impact of arms transfers on personal integrity rights. In addition to personal integrity rights,
relationship of arms transfers and two other types of human rights: civil and political rights and
social and economic rights is investigated. Arms transfers to the developing world have a
detrimental effect on the internal politics of the recipient country. Transfers of arms have a
negative impact on the provision of personal integrity rights. This study also shows arms imports
to be detrimental to the civil and political rights of the citizens of the receiving country. Social
and economic rights on the other hand do not seem to be negatively affected by arms transfers.