discussed. It irill not suffice to take cuts in total military exPenditure as the sole criterion of progress' unless they are very substantial indeed' SupPort lng neasures to contain the qualitative arms race are inperative' 5. E<acerbated by the population explosion, the food crisis and the devastatlons of natural disasters and-war, the problens of eradicating Poverty and of iroproving standards of health, nutrition, education and housing have reached a stage of crisis in nany parts of the v.,or lcl. No less inportant problema are those of industrialization and gror,rth in developing countries, of conbating the degradatlon of the environment, of developing ne\d sources of energy and raw materials whlle preserving presently available sources' of halting the degradation of- cities' and rnany ottrers. g11 oi these make clains on investnent ' research and other resourced in direct competition with military clains. The vast benefits shich could result fron even trifling cuts in nilitary expenditures and the reallocatioh of the funds thus saved are obv iou s. 6. The implications of an arms race antl of military expenditures on the scale typical of the Post-war perioal are much more pervasive than mere econonic A/37/386 Engl ish Annex Page 6 considerations would suggest. Being one of the nain factors shaping theinternational context, the arms race exerts a profound infruence on the poritics,eclonomy and society of rnany countries. In scme cases, an ever_present risk ofinterference by outside porders inposes narrow limits on foreign and donesticporicies, limits that may run counter to natronal aspirationsl rn other cases, thearr.d forces become a factor of decisive weight in internal politics. Militarypriorities may arso exert consr.derabre infruence on the directions taken by thecivilian econony.
**Analysis**
The text discusses the consequences of military expenditures on the economy and society, highlighting the need to redirect resources towards development and humanitarian issues. It also touches on the interconnectedness of various global challenges, including poverty, environmental degradation, and natural disasters. This suggests that the text may belong to a category that encompasses economic development, international relations, and global challenges.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade, Humanitarian aid and relief