Weaponized Interdependence: The Hidden Cost of Globalized Trade

Krugman argues that globalization’s interdependence can be weaponized, turning economic ties into tools of coercion and potential conflict, even as trade has historically been seen as a force for peace. Drawing on geoeconomics and real‑world tensions (e.g., Red Sea disruptions, Hormuz dynamics), the piece surveys traditional arguments for trade as peace, explains how interdependence can escalate disputes, and discusses the current relevance for policy in a world where economic links can both stabilize and destabilize international relations.