New geopolitical realities -- including terrorism, pandemics, rogue nuclear states, resource conflicts, insurgencies, mass migration, economic collapse, and cyber attacks -- have created a dramatically different national-security environment for America. Twentieth-century defense strategies, technologies, and industrial practices will not meet the security requirements of a post-9/11 world. In Democracy's Arsenal, Jacques Gansler describes the transformations needed in government and industry to achieve a new, more effective system of national defense. Drawing on his decades of experience in industry, government, and academia, Gansler argues that the old model of ever-increasing defense expenditures on largely outmoded weapons systems must be replaced by a strategy that combines a healthy economy, effective international relations, and a strong (but affordable) national security posture. The defense industry must remake itself to become responsive and relevant to the needs of twenty-first-century security.

雅克·甘斯勒（Cansler J.S.），国防工业和国防采办领域的著名专家，现为美国马里兰大学公共政策学院公共政策与私人企业研究中心，斯隆生物技术工业中心主任。曾任马里兰大学公共政策学院院长（2003—2004）和主管科研的副校长（2004-2006）。他是美国国家工程院院士、国家公共管理科学院院士，是陆军部长任命的“陆军采购和项目管理委员会”主席，也是美国国防科学委员会（Defense ScienceBoard）委员。1997年11月至2001年1月，雅克·甘斯勒曾任美国国防部副部长（负责采办、技术与后勤），统管美国的武器装备科研生产、采购、后勤保障、采办制度改革、先进技术探索、核生化项目和国防工业基础等。在此之前，他是美国一家信息技术股份有限公司TASC的执行副总裁和企业总监，并曾任美国国防部助理副部长（负责物资采办）以及国防科研与工程项目助理总监（负责国防电子研发）。