Nuclear proliferation in its purest sense is an economic problem. Actors seek security in an unpredictable international environment through the acquisition of a weapon that has the potential to inflict a tremendous amount of pain upon an adversary for a minimal price. Because of the high value placed upon these weapons, the technology and knowledge applicable to this field is also valuable financially and politically. Nuclear weapons proliferation has become a highly sought after business that states and non-state actors seek to become a part of and has been proven throughout history to contribute to further proliferation.
","abstract_html":"<p>Nuclear proliferation in its purest sense is an economic problem. Actors seek security in an unpredictable international environment through the acquisition of a weapon that has the potential to inflict a tremendous amount of pain upon an adversary for a minimal price. Because of the high value placed upon these weapons, the technology and knowledge applicable to this field is also valuable financially and politically. Nuclear weapons proliferation has become a highly sought after business that states and non-state actors seek to become a part of and has been proven throughout history to contribute to further proliferation.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Arendt Jr., Michael J."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Defense and Strategic Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Bradley Thayer"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2007-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:37Z","subjects":["proliferation","nuclear weapons","non-state actors","atomic energy","black markets","Defense and Security Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":["© Michael J. Arendt Jr."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1422","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Bradley Thayer"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Arendt Jr., Michael J."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Defense and Strategic Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["proliferation","nuclear weapons","non-state actors","atomic energy","black markets","Defense and Security Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© Michael J. Arendt Jr."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1422"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Nuclear proliferation in its purest sense is an economic problem. Actors seek security in an unpredictable international environment through the acquisition of a weapon that has the potential to inflict a tremendous amount of pain upon an adversary for a minimal price. Because of the high value placed upon these weapons, the technology and knowledge applicable to this field is also valuable financially and politically. Nuclear weapons proliferation has become a highly sought after business that states and non-state actors seek to become a part of and has been proven throughout history to contribute to further proliferation.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Economics of Proliferation: An Examination of the Changing Nature of the Nuclear Marketplace"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Bradley Thayer"],"dc:creator":["Arendt Jr., Michael J."],"dc:description.abstract":["Nuclear proliferation in its purest sense is an economic problem. Actors seek security in an unpredictable international environment through the acquisition of a weapon that has the potential to inflict a tremendous amount of pain upon an adversary for a minimal price. Because of the high value placed upon these weapons, the technology and knowledge applicable to this field is also valuable financially and politically. Nuclear weapons proliferation has become a highly sought after business that states and non-state actors seek to become a part of and has been proven throughout history to contribute to further proliferation.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1422"],"dc:rights":["© Michael J. Arendt Jr."],"dc:subject":["proliferation","nuclear weapons","non-state actors","atomic energy","black markets","Defense and Security Studies"],"dc:title":["The Economics of Proliferation: An Examination of the Changing Nature of the Nuclear Marketplace"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Defense and Strategic Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:37Z"}