A New National Security Architecture: An Economic Security & Strategic Investment Framework for the Western Hemisphere

The following project was produced by a working group from the second Carnegie Ethics Fellows cohort reflecting nearly two years of convenings, collaboration, and research. Each report in this special series examines a critical issue at the intersection of ethics and international affairs. The Carnegie Ethics Fellowship aims to develop the next generation of ethical leaders across business, government, academia, and non-governmental organizations.

This report argues that creating a new principled economic security umbrella is necessary to counteract the growing extractive authoritarianism of China and correct the flawed economic security agenda of Washington.

To create this values-based framework, this report illustrates how the U.S. and Chinese economic competition prolongs conflict and ignores the needs of populations at the expense of global fragmentation. The solutions are both international and national in the form of suggesting a new set of principles, a Geneva-style convention to create a unified definition of economic statecraft, and a strategic investment fund for democratic resiliency.

Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit. The views expressed within this project are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of Carnegie Council or the authors’ employers.