The Richardson Arms Race Model (UMAP)

The purpose of this module is to: 1) demonstrate how interacting entities like nations can be represented by second order difference equations; 2) demonstrate alternate ways of representing such sets of equations; and 3) illustrate the usefulness of analyzing the equilibrium, stability, and sensitivity properties of an interactive model.

Table of Contents:

1. INTRODUCTION

2. THE ARMS RACE MODEL

3. RICHARDSON'S COUPLED EQUATIONS AS A SINGLE EQUATION

4. RICHARDSON'S ARMS RACE MODEL IN MATRIX NOTATION

5. STABILITY PROPERTIES OF THE RICHARDSON ARMS RACE MODEL

6. A SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF THE RICHARDSON ARMS RACE MODEL

7. CONCLUSION

8. REFERENCES

9. ANSWERS TO EXERCISES