"Military Budget vs. GDP: 18th Century?" Topic

Fellow scholars,

I'm interested in finding general information in regards to the average GDP's or approximate military budgets for some of the Great Power states during the 18th Century.

I know of a few voluminous tomes, such as Rostow's World Economy, but something more specifically involving military economics would be appreciated.

I do know that colonels were responsible for their regiments and captains for their companies. I'm wondering how much Fred the Great's Prussia was worth, and how much of that he spent on war. Ditto George, Pete, Paul, Louie, Mary, Kate, Max and Ferd.

Thanks. Any help or hints always appreciated.

I know I've seen a good discussion on this subject here, but my search-fu is weak and I can't find it. I think I printed it out, so I'll see if I can find it tonight.

I think you could find the French figures in Nicker's Compte Rendu. It's been a while since I looked at it.

Edit: Here we go: (This is definitly not GAAP compliant. Also the Long S is driving me insane)

link

Military Expenses:
Army Expenses                               65 200 000 lives
Army Expenses (Royal House)                  7 681 000 lives
Artillery and Engineering                    9 200 000 lives
Maréchausse (Military Police)                3 575 000 lives
Ordinary Expenses of the Navy Department    31 000 000 lives

Total spending for those lines 116 656 000, it should be noted that the total budget of the French Kingdom/State was 264 154 000 lives.

What for?
Do you talk piece time or war time budgets?
Wartime budget will automatically multiply with an army's mobilization – to be read literally – i.e. the payment of the thousands of horses that would get the army moving and supplied. 2 pounds of bread plus some meat for the soldiers aren't so much of an issue, budget-wise. The horses plus its 20 pounds and upwards of fodder per day are much more of an issue, really.

I recommend Szabo, The Seven Years War in Europe, Harlow Uk, 2008
and Van Creveld, Supplying War, Cambridge Uk, 1977
Both provide insights to the military costs deep end of it all.

As I recall Prussia's was about 40-50% of all state revenues

Christopher Duffy in The Military Experience in the Age of Reason I believe touches on it in the first chapters.

boy wundyr x replied:

I know I've seen a good discussion on this subject here, but my search-fu is weak and I can't find it. I think I printed it out, so I'll see if I can find it tonight.

If you have any luck I'd greatly appreciate it. Cheers.

Martin from Canada wrote:

I think you could find the French figures in Nicker's Compte Rendu. It's been a while since I looked at it.

Edit: Here we go: (This is definitly not GAAP compliant. Also the Long S is driving me insane)

link

Military Expenses:
Army Expenses 65 200 000 lives
Army Expenses (Royal House) 7 681 000 lives
Artillery and Engineering 9 200 000 lives
Maréchausse (Military Police) 3 575 000 lives
Ordinary Expenses of the Navy Department 31 000 000 lives

Total spending for those lines 116 656 000, it should be noted that the total budget of the French Kingdom/State was 264 154 000 lives.

Out of a population of 264 million, France had military expenses for 116 million men? I'm sorry, I've lost all of my high school French. I'll try looking up some population figures. Thanks.

crogge1757 asked (and instructed):

What for?
Do you talk piece time or war time budgets?
Wartime budget will automatically multiply with an army's mobilization – to be read literally – i.e. the payment of the thousands of horses that would get the army moving and supplied. 2 pounds of bread plus some meat for the soldiers aren't so much of an issue, budget-wise. The horses plus its 20 pounds and upwards of fodder per day are much more of an issue, really.

I recommend Szabo, The Seven Years War in Europe, Harlow Uk, 2008
and Van Creveld, Supplying War, Cambridge Uk, 1977
Both provide insights to the military costs deep end of it all.

For this:

TMP link

A "Risk" style meta-campaign with 18th Century proxy Imagi-Nations. Battles to be fought out on the office floor, probably with Legos. Wondering how to distribute the Monopoly money. Would each player get the same amount? Should they get the same amount of Risk armies for the "big map" and the same amount of Legos for the "battle map"? Shouldn't it be tailored so that Prussia and Austria are clearly different?

Starting with a peacetime state, moving into a mobilized state. Thank you very much for pointing that out. Szabo book ordered.

Frederick wrote:

As I recall Prussia's was about 40-50% of all state revenues

That's very useful, thank you.

daler240D replied:

Christopher Duffy in The Military Experience in the Age of Reason I believe touches on it in the first chapters.

Started reading Duffy's TMEitAoR, but then got distracted reading Nosworthy's Anatomy of Victory. Need to get back to the Duffy once I get farther into the 18th Century in the Nosworthy book. AoV is on loan from another library so it's first in queue. I'm pretty sure Duffy got the entire notion started in my head to begin with.

Out of a population of 264 million, France had military expenses for 116 million men? I'm sorry, I've lost all of my high school French. I'll try looking up some population figures. Thanks.

That's my error, I copy pasted an error throughout where I mean livres as in French Livres the currency.

That's 44% of the budget for France. However, by the quip about GAAP, it should be noted that Necker did some hand waving to exempt many one-time expenses from the budget in addition to counting only interest on debt rather than principle + interest. So that 44% of the total budget is at best a ballpark estimate.