Chapter 10: States and Markets in the World Economy

Action:

Strengthen the military in the short term
Your military will be able to produce more tanks, weapons, fighter jets, and defense systems than it normally would have. If Russia were to invade, they would still be able to win a conflict because they have one of the best militaries in the world, but your military will be strong enough to both lengthen the war and raise the costs of war. Even if the communist bloc was weakened, the military buildup may deter the Russians from invading. This military buildup would come at the opportunity cost of investing in your developing domestic industries.

Outcome:

You have chosen a pure economic nationalist approach to developing your economy. Your infant domestic industries will be carefully planned and nurtured. They will also be shielded from international competition. Unfortunately, your economy will not benefit from absolute gains and access to more markets and resources. If your industries develop favorably, then, over time, you will be able to reap relative gains from integrating into an open world economy. In the short term, your refusal to join all of those institutions isolated Chechnya from the US-led capitalist bloc. Therefore, you do not have a security guarantee from a great power.

Your choice to depend upon Russia for capital has resulted in a moderate strengthening of your military. However, the long-term economic sustainability of your military growth is in question because of your dependency on Russia for continued investment.

Recently, two states succumbed to the capitalist bloc's pressure and switched from communist economic systems to capitalist economic systems. This has emboldened Russia, who have cut off their unconditional loans to you. Russia has demanded you pay them back in the short term and has threatened to use force if necessary. While you have made the Russian decision to invade Chechnya more difficult because your strengthened military raised the costs of war, the Russians view the economic pressure of paying back the loan as undermining your political stability.

For now, the Russians decide not to invade Chechnya because your modernized military has raised the costs of war too high. If the situation in Russia continues to deteriorate, Chechnya may be in trouble. You have had to make some tough decisions between economic and military investment, but you managed to successfully avoid a potential crisis in the short term.


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