The United Kingdom spends considerably more on defense as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) among countries with a similar need. According to Wikipedia, the United Kingdom spends 2.2% of GDP on military spending; whereas, countries such as France (1.9%), Spain (1.4%), Germany (1.3%), and Ireland (0.26%) spend considerably less on defense.
Excluding the direct benefit to increased foreign policy influence and direct impact on national security, does this disproportional spending generate any domestic economic or societal benefits to Britain when also excluding the direct economic impact of military spending (i.e. the government spending component of GDP)?
For example, an increased sense of nationalism could be a benefit of military spending, but is there a higher sense of nationalism from spending 2.2% of GDP versus spending 1.2% of GDP (the average for the countries listed above)?
