volurc) during the past four years, world military spending has risen faster thanin the previous four years, despite the deteriorating perfornance of the vrorld economy. lhe economl.c burden of military spending measured aa a share of theworldts total output has thus becorne heavier due to an undiminished consumpt j.on of the norld's flnite resources, wtrich would and could be otherwise available for socio-econonic develotment, partlcuLarly of the developing countries. ALso, itssocial and political inplications have becore nore serious, since economic burdenscarry the seeds of social discontent and political tensions within and amongnations. 137. The dynanics of the arns race involve nore than a sun total of nilitary expenditures and an updated list of its nEjor and rninor participants. The forcesdriving it, the purposes it aerves and ita varlous forms of manifestation have tran€forned the arna race into a political phenonenon adversely affectlng global Socio-econonic options. By rendering the international pol itico-economic environflEnt nore rigid and rlpre resistant to change, the arrns race is fostering concerns for the political and social options chosen by other countries, inparticular by those that are deertEd to have strategic importance, and it is Promoting a pattern of alliances and alignments v/h ich relnforce attitudes of confrontation in a situation denanding co-operatlon, both in internatiohalpolitical and econdllc relati.ons. Dilring the period under review, a proninent feature of internatlonal relations was growing interdependence, rrhich manifesteditself in several areas. The world has beconre increasingly interdependent as it is confronted rdith problens wtrich either cannot be resolved in any other way than byjoint efforts (for exanple, radioactive pollution by atornic tests, sharing of
**Analysis**
The text discusses the rising trend of world military spending and its implications on the global economy, social, and political landscape. It highlights the growing burden of military spending on the world's finite resources, which could otherwise be used for socio-economic development, particularly in developing countries. The text also touches on the dynamics of the arms race and its effects on international relations, including the promotion of alliances and confrontational attitudes.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade, International relations