Definition

Noun: 1. Economic independence as a national policy: A state or policy of self-sufficiency, especially in economic terms, where a country aims to rely on its own resources and production rather than on international trade or aid.

Usage and Examples

Noun: * The nation pursued a policy of autarky, severely restricting imports to protect its domestic industries. * True economic autarky is nearly impossible in today's interconnected global market. * Historians debate whether the country's move toward autarky was driven by ideology or by international sanctions.

Advanced Usage

• Conceptual Extension: While primarily an economic term, can be used more broadly to describe a state of self-sufficiency in other domains, such as energy or food production.
  • The goal of energy autarky led to massive investments in renewable power sources.
• Adjectival Form: The related adjective is autarkic.
  • The regime's autarkic policies isolated it from the global economy.

Variants and Related Words

• Autarkic (adjective): Characterized by or relating to autarky.
  • The country's autarkic stance made it vulnerable to shortages.
• Autarchy (noun): A less common variant spelling of . (Note: This word can also mean absolute sovereignty or rule by an autocrat, but in economic contexts, it is synonymous with ).

Synonyms

• Self-sufficiency: The quality or state of needing no outside help in satisfying one's basic needs.
• Economic independence: Freedom from reliance on external economic entities.
• Isolationism (in a political/economic context): A policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries.

Antonyms

• Interdependence: The dependence of two or more people or things on each other.
• Globalization: The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.
• Free trade: International trade left to its natural course without tariffs, quotas, or other restrictions.

Noun

1. economic independence as a national policy