War profiteer

A war profiteer is any person or organization that makes profits (rightly or wrongly) from warfare or by selling weapons and other goods to one or even both of the parties at war in their own or in foreign countries.

Types of war profiteers

Different types of war profiteers can be distinguished ranging from single persons to whole companies or trusts and nations.

During and after World War II enormous profits were made by persons selling rare goods like cigarettes, chocolate, coffee and butter on the black market.

In general, all companies selling weapons increase their profits when war starts.

Furthermore one can distinguish passive war profiteers from active war profiteers.

Passive war profiteers make profits of a war without influencing duration and outcome of a war.

Active war profiteers in addition to make profits by a war have a vital interest to start and prolong a war in order to make or increase their own profits.