Why doesn't Costa Rica have an army?

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The constitution of 1949 abolished the army in Costa Rica.  This document was forged in the aftermath of the short civil war, which left standing two opposing, but poorly equipped forces. The delegates who wrote and ratified the constitution believed that a standing army was too great an expense given the nature of Costa Rica's emerging economy, composed mainly of smaller farmers dependent upon crop exports.  They believed that the money could be better spent in other areas and that a police force would be perfectly capable of maintaining the civil order, so Article 12 of the Constitution proscribes the Army.  An army may only be formed in the case of a continental agreement, or in case it is needed for national defense.