Game theory, people power and Philippine politics

Though game theory has been utilized mostly in economics, it has wide applications in other fields as well. This paper delineates two illustrative game-theoretic applications to Philippine politics - the People Power Revolution in the mid-1980s and the conflict over the Spratly Islands in the mid-1990s. Zero-sum games model these two events, and elementary matrix theory is used to determine pure strategies and locate equilibrium points. Recommendations for using game theory in other political situations are included, in an attempt to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world.