The System of Financial Support for MVFTCs in the Theoretical Conceptions of Financing Security and Defense Forces

Abstract

The article provides an interdisciplinary theoretical analysis of the system of financial support for military volunteer formations of territorial communities (MVFTCs) in the context of classical and modern conceptions of financing the security and defense sector. It is noted that in the context of hybrid and asymmetric threats, volunteer structures play an important role in ensuring national resilience, and their financial support is of particular importance from the point of view of public policy, social justice, and public legitimacy. The basic models of security force financing – centralized, decentralized, and mixed – are considered, and the place of MVFTCs within the hybrid defense architecture is determined. The article systematizes the typology of possible models for financing the MVFTCs (State-based, volunteer, private, hybrid, self-financing) and analyzes their advantages and risks. Particular attention is paid to normative and value aspects: legitimacy, fairness, recognition of the subjectivity of volunteers, and the symbolic significance of material support. The interconnection between the internal motivation of participants in formations, social identity, and the influence of external incentives, in particular monetary rewards, is revealed. It is argued that excessive financial incentives without taking moral factors into account can lead to a crowding-out effect on motivation. The thesis is put forward that an effective model for ensuring the functioning of the MVFTCs should combine material, legal, and moral instruments to ensure both the combat readiness of the formations and support from both the State and civil society. The conclusion is made about the need for legislative regulation of the status of the MVFTCs and their integration into the general system of defense financing.