This game will help you to understand the challenges that governments face when dealing with trade-offs. Governments need to deal with the differing demands of society as well as prepare themselves for unforeseen events, whilst maintaining the economic and social well-being of the nation.

1. How do we decide
what is good for
society?

2. Instructions
Get into groups of 6
You are a political party –
give yourselves a NAME!
Decide on the country
that your group is going to RULE!

3. The Game…
You have two ‘meters’:
a. $ meter  starts at 25
b.  meter  starts at 15
$ +  = Score
If $ or  reaches 0, you LOSE
There will be a question on each slide that your group will have to
answer.
You can only choose ONE option.

4. Education policy
No. Decision  $
1. Free education until university + 8 - 6
2. Free education until secondary school + 5 - 3
3. Free education until primary school + 3 - 1
4. No subsidies for any education - 1 0

5. Healthcare policy
No. Decision  $
1. Free healthcare for all citizens + 10 - 7
2. Subsidised healthcare for all citizens + 8 - 5
3. Subsidised healthcare based on needs + 5 - 2
4. No subsidies for any healthcare - 1 0

6. Defence policy
No. Decision  $
1. Professional army + 1 - 8
2. Mixed professional and conscript
army
- 2 - 5
3. Conscript army - 4 - 3
4. No army - 7 0

7. Taxes
No. Decision  $
1. No taxes + 6 0
2. Low taxes + 2 + 3
3. Moderate taxes 0 + 5
4. High taxes - 6 + 10

9. The roads in your country are getting
congested, so you…
No. Decision  $
1. Build more roads + 1 - 2
2. Build an MRT system + 5 - 5
3. Implement COE & taxes on cars - 7 + 5
4. Do nothing - 2 0

10. Housing in your country is getting very
expensive, so you…
No. Decision  $
1. Provide cash to help families buy
homes
+ 1 - 4
2. Build more non-subsidised housing + 4 - 6
3. Build more subsidised housing + 7 - 7
4. Do nothing - 5 0

11. Haze in your country hits PSI 300, so
you…
No. Decision  $
1. Provide free masks & purifiers to all
your citizens
+ 5 - 4
2. Provide free masks to all your citizens + 2 - 2
3. Close schools and offices until the
weather improves
0 - 1
4. Do nothing - 3 0

12. Tourists have complained that your
country is too boring, so you…
No. Decision  $
1. Launch an advertising campaign to
attract more tourists
0 - 1
2. Build a casino – but upset your
citizens in the process
- 1 + 4
3. Build several casinos and other theme
parks – but really upset your citizens in
the process
- 4 + 8
4. Do nothing – and tourists stop coming
to your country
0 - 4

13. A neighbouring country threatens to
invade you, so you…
No. Decision  $
1. Purchase the latest weapons and
equipment from around the world
+ 7 - 8
2. Purchase more regular weapons and
equipment
+ 4 - 6
3. Conduct extra trainings for your
military forces
0 - 4
4. Do nothing - 6 0

14. Your country has been hit by a terrorist
attack, so you…
No. Decision  $
1. Launch a full-scale search to uncover
and destroy the entire terrorist
organisation
0 - 8
2. Arrest the main leaders and culprits
responsible for the attack
- 3 - 6
3. Investigate the cause of the attack and
make an official statement
- 6 - 5
4. Do nothing - 10 - 4

15. THE END
You made it!!!

16. Learning points
• Understanding trade-offs   vs. $
• Role of the government
• Ideas shaping governance