Disarmament as a Chance for Human Development

The reduction in tension between the superpowers offers the opportunity to release funds, a peace dividend that could be put to constructive use.' Has this opportunity, as expressed in the Human Development Report 1991, been taken? Military force and wars, as integral components of security policy and international relations, are still the traditional assumptions of military-oriented security. Although there is a new security vision based on co-operation, trust, mutual understanding and collective security, it has still not been generally accepted in government policy.