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SCHEME OF WORK 2

THE ECONOMICS OF THE ARMS TRADE-TEACHERS NOTES

 AIMS

To find out more about the economics of the arms trade.

To use the arms trade as a Case-Study to examine some economic principles.

 MATERIALS

Text of shortened version of Samuel Brittan’s lecture.

 PUPIL AGE

Sixth form General Studies OR A Level Economics group

 TASK

  1. Read the text. Explain that this is a shortened version of Sir Samuel Brittan’s lecture. He is a well-known financial journalist.
  2. A government spokesperson says:

 “The arms trade is an export trade like any other.” 

What points would you make to counter this statement?

  1. An employment spokesperson says:

“If we stop the arms industry lots of jobs will be lost and unemployment would rise.”

What points would you make to counter this statement?   What would you say to workers in one of the towns mentioned in the lecture?

OR

    4. “Can we justify bribing people to buy arms they may not need with money their taxpayers cannot afford, simply to inflate the    

         number of jobs in a declining industry?” (J Roeber)

Explain your answer.

  

The economics of the arms trade - Fact sheet