The Arms Race, Played by SDP

Abstract

Interest in the arms race has been growing in recent years as shown by coverage in the media and in political campaigns. Many students coming to class are already preconditioned either for or against increased defense spending. This participatory exercise allows them to test their ideas, and it helps make their minds more receptive to new concepts being explored in the class, such as: Is detente in the best interests of the Unted States? Should a new SALT Treaty be negotiated? What is the best ratio of expenditures for domestic programs and national defense?SDB stands for Secret Defense Budgets. In the SDB exercise, or game as it is called, the class is divided into groups of two students sitting next to each other.