Trade vs. Raid
The Prisoner's Dilemma in the Classroom

You are the decision-maker for a people who seeks an asset (land, metals, tools, food, etc.) held by another group nearby. You have assets they desire. Your choice: (1) arm yourselves and raid, or (2) don't devote resources to armaments, and trade?

• If you choose a "Raid" policy, and the other group does too, you will be engaged in warfare, gaining from your raids but losing from theirs.
  
  
• If you choose a "Trade" policy, and the other group does too, you will get what you want from them, but have to give up some of your own goods in order to get it.
  
  
• If you "Raid," and other group doesn't, you will get booty with little cost; they will lose their wealth and probably suffer some injury or loss of life.
  
  
• If they "Raid," and you don't, you will lose your wealth and probably suffer some injury or loss of life; they will get the booty with little cost.
  
  
• Note that "Easy Booty" > "Exchange of Wealth" > "Warfare" > "Raided,"
  and "Exchange of Wealth" > average of "Easy Booty" and "Raided"