Ruth Leger Sivard, Economist Who Scrutinized Military Spending, Dies at 99

August 31, 2015 by IPB

“…there is no global security. Governing authorities who expect to achieve it through military power and the suppression of protest have lost touch with reality and their own sense of humanity.”

“We are all involved. The money comes out of our pockets, and it may kill us.”

                              – Ruth Sivard

Among the most important inspirations for the Global Campaign on Military Spending is Ruth Sivard’s annual report World Military and Social Expenditures, the first publicly available comparison of military and social spending by governments. Mrs. Sivard had been a high-ranking economist for the US State Department and the Arms Control and Disarmament Administration, though later resigned. She was able to find reliable sources for the detailed statistical information she published. Her work was internationally recognized by scholars and activists alike. In 2013 IPB Secretary-General Colin Archer wrote a letter to Ms Sivard to thank her for her pioneering work. See obituaries in Washington Post , New York Times, and Ms.Sivard’s website www.ruthsivard.com.