A Buildup of Nuclear Weapons Between Two or More Nations

Essay

A buildup of nuclear weapons between two or more nations appears both counterproductive and counterintuitive.But one theory,Mutually Assured Destruction,argues that it is to a nation's benefit to amass an arsenal of weapons so vast that their use could destroy the whole world.Using a prisoner's dilemma matrix with a Nash equilibrium,show how that Country A choosing a strategy of spending vast amounts on nuclear weaponry (call it "High"),enough to destroy all of society,rather than a smaller amount (call it "Low),sufficient for self-defense only,is a dominant strategy and a deterrent over Country B.