Shangri-La Dialogue: Shifting economic dependencies could lead to parallel blocs, says Ng Eng Hen

Click HERE

Most of us would be familiar with the importance of self-sufficiency...this link raises an idea about why dependency on others need not exactly be a bad thing, and can even promote peace!!!!

We still believe that multilateral trade arrangements are not only important for economic dependencies and for economic health, but indeed, for security. Because if I trade a lot with you, it's quite hard for me to fight with you....

to Singapore, inter-dependency is not only good economically, but also good for security, as the price of conflict would be higher for mutually dependent countries....."If we live on the same row, and there's a common corridor between us, we're going to think very hard before we start throwing things at one another." But if you're divided by a wall, and insulated from some of the harm when you have conflict, then you think less,"

Qn: How far should countries aim to be self-sufficient? (Cam 2011)