Economic Warfare in the 21st Century - Are the UK, NATO, and EU fit to Fight?

This volume critically examines whether the United Kingdom, NATO, and the EU are equipped to engage in both defensive and offensive economic warfare. In an era where economic leverage is increasingly used as a tool of statecraft, nations worldwide are struggling with the complexities of economic warfare. The book discusses contested terminology and concepts, often blurred with geoeconomics, economic statecraft, and weaponized interdependence.
Through a thorough analysis of organizational structures, doctrines, and strategic cultures, the book explores the legitimacy and implications of using economic means to influence state behavior. As global actors ramp up their economic warfare capabilities, it questions whether such strategies are a necessary evolution or a disruptive force to international norms. 
The book will appeal to students, researchers, and scholars of international relations, political science, security studies, and defence studies, as well as policy-makers and practitioners interested in a better understanding of the future of global economic security.

List of contents

Chapter 1. The Problem, The Need, The Condition.- Part I: Evaluation of UK Condition.- Chapter 2. Can Britain Weaponize its Economic Interdependence.- Chapter 3. Is UK Ready to Conduct Economic Warfare in the 21st Century.- Chapter 4. UK Machinery and Ethics of Economic Warfare.- Part II: Evaluation of NATO Condition.- Chapter 5. The Forgotten Arsenal: Advocating for NATO's Strategic Use of Economic Warfare.- Chapter 6. Athena s Shield Is Brittle: Why and How NATO Needs to Get Serious About Economic Warfare.- Part III: Evaluation of European Union Condition.- Chapter 7. Who Wins and Who Looses Waging Economic Warfare Against Russia.- Chapter 8. The Two Faces of Coercion: Comparing China and Russia's Economic Coercive practices and approaches in Europe.- Chapter 9. Switzerland and Sanctions Against Russia: lessons for the EU from a non-member state.

Product details

• Assisted by: Greg Kennedy (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 16.07.2025
• EAN: 9783031905896
• ISBN: 978-3-0-3190589-6
• No. of pages: 241
• Illustrations: IV, 241 p. 13 illus., 12 illus. in color.
• Series: Contributions to Security and Defence Studies
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Comparative and international political science; Europa, NATO, Krieg und Verteidigung, Politik und Staat, Wirtschaftspolitik, politische Ökonomie, European Politics, War, United Kingdom, Geoeconomics, foreign policy, European Union, Conflict, auseinandersetzen, Organizational Structures, International Security Studies, Military and Defence Studies, International Political Economy’, national security, economic statecraft, Strategic culture, economic security, Global conflict, weaponized interdependence, Offensive strategies, Defensive strategies, Economic coercion