Economics and Maritime Strategy: Implications for the 21st Century

Globalization can be viewed as the flow of goods, services, funds, people, technology, and information
across borders. In the twenty-first century it is characterized by increasing volume
and speed. Economic productivity and prosperity have been enhanced by the free flows of
goods, services, monies, ideas, and talents with world trade expanding and world GDP growing
over the last several decades. A major portion of these flows occurs on the global maritime
commons.
The National Security Strategy of the United States calls for igniting a new era of global economic
growth through free markets and free trade. It seeks to expand the circle of development
by opening societies and building the infrastructure of democracy. And it seeks agendas for cooperative
action with other main centers of global power.
Unfortunately, there is a dark side to globalization, which comes from the vulnerabilities of the
international system. Terrorism, proliferation and potential use of weapons of mass destruction,
transnational criminal activities, and forced migration are significant threats to global security.
The global maritime commons provides the highways for these security threats.
Thus, the National Security Strategy focuses on defeating global terrorism, preventing attacks
against the United States and friends, defusing regional conflicts, and preventing access to and
the use of weapons of mass destruction. Besides engaging the opportunities of globalization it is
necessary to confront the challenges of globalization.
This workshop explores the important relationships between economics and security, with emphasis
on a maritime strategy. Its purpose is to contribute to the development of a maritime
strategy in support of the overarching grand strategy of the United States. The workshop is organized
using the above construct.