Wartime Allocation of Textile and Apparel Resources: Emergency Policy in the Twentieth Century

Abstract

The allocation of economic resources to civilian populations in war can be treated as a problem in applied history, in which the goals and objectives of policy decisions in twentieth-century emergencies are weighed against their outcomes. An example of this process is the distribution of textiles and apparel to noncombatants, for which the most important policy goal is, in the words of the War Production Board, "to keep the civilian population in a healthy and productive condition." Like food resources, clothing and such essential textiles as blankets and surgical dressings are required for the survival of soldiers and civilians alike, so these resources cannot be reserved, even in the most dire emergencies, exclusively for military use, but must be allocated judiciously to the entire population. How modern governments make such decisions depends on three factors: economics, the military situation, and ideology. Differences in these factors appear to account for differences in policy results even when the goals and mechanisms of policy design and implementation are identical.

Keywords: Rationing, Clothing, Textiles, War Production, Nutrition, Emergency policy, Procurement

JEL Classification: H56, H57, I12, K23, L66, L67, L81, N40, P52, R38