Economics of Competitor and Adversary Nations

2 Credits.

Recent administrations have published National Security Strategies that have outlined the approach the United States should follow in dealing with various actors who are viewed as challengers to US power in a world of growing political, economic and military competition. This course examines these actors from an economic viewpoint, proceeding from the premise that a national economic base provides the resources from which these nations provide for domestic living standards while at the same time resourcing their national security objectives. The course provides an overview of each nation in context to its regional and the world economy, and in comparison to the US. The course will examine contemporary and projected trends for each nation and relate these to security and strategy. This is designed as an economics course for security professionals who are NOT economists. The instructor will familiarize students with basic macroeconomic concepts and provide a framework for inquiry which the seminar will apply to each of the actors. The seminar will then draw conclusions for strategy and decision makers.