A striving for national self-sufficiency is shaping up to be one of the greatest forces of twenty-first century geopolitics - Exile Economics is a provocative warning about the risks of abandoning globalisation and how isolationism weakens the global economy.
11th August 2025
Hardcover
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
A striving for national self-sufficiency is shaping up to be one of the greatest forces of twenty-first century geopolitics - Exile Economics is a provocative warning about the risks of abandoning globalisation and how isolationism weakens the global economy.
Description
THE MUST-READ GUIDE TO THE TRADE WAR
'A smart, vivid and humane account of the way the world really works' TIM HARFORD'This is the book to read if you want to understand what might be about to hit the world economy' EVAN DAVISThe dangerous race for self-sufficiency has begun. Be warned.Nations are turning away from each other. Faith in globalisaton has been fatally undermined by the pandemic, the energy crisis, surging trade frictions and swelling great power rivalry. A new vision is vying to replace what we've known for many decades. This vision - Exile Economics - entails a rejection of interdependence, a downgrading of multilateral collaboration and a striving for greater national self-sufficiency. The supporters of this new order argue it will establish genuine security, prosperity and peace. But is this promise achievable? Or a seductive delusion?Through the stories of globally traded commodities - from silicon to steel and from soybeans to solar panels - economics journalist Ben Chu illustrates the intricate web of interdependence that has come to bind nations together - and underlines the dangers of this new push to isolationism. Exile Economics is an essential guide to this new world in all its promise and peril.Critic Reviews
Ben Chu is a brilliant guide both to economic ideas and to hard economic reality. Exile Economics is a smart, vivid and humane account of the way the world really works - and the dangers that now face us all -- Tim Harford, author of THE UNDERCOVER ECONOMIST
In this beautifully written and researched book, Ben Chu lays out clearly and compellingly why seeking self-sufficiently, in everything from food to energy, technology to talent, is more likely to undermine than strengthen growth and security given the interdependency of modern supply chains -- Andy Haldane, former chief economist of the Bank of England & Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts
Ben Chu is one of the most outstanding economic journalists of our time. He writes with brilliant clarity, diligence and compassion -- Victoria Derbyshire, BBC Newsnight lead presenter
A superb and well-reasoned discussion of the issue that may come to affect all our lives . . . This is the book to read if you want to understand what might be about to hit the world economy -- Evan Davis
As Chu eloquently shows, a world built on open trade is much better than the alternative -- Sunday Times
About the Author
Ben is Policy and Analysis Correspondent at BBC Verify. Previously he was Economics Editor at Newsnight, and at the Independent prior to that. Ben was nominated for Business Journalist of the Year at the 2015 British Journalism Awards and for Business Commentator of the Year at the 2018 Comment Awards. His first book Chinese Whispers: Why Everything You've Heard about China is Wrong was nominated for International Affairs Book of the Year at the Paddy Power Political Book Awards in 2014. Ben was born in Manchester to a Chinese father and British mother. He lives in London with his wife and two children.
Product Details
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.
11th August 2025
Browse by category
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences » Politics & Government » Political Science & Theory
- Books
- Books » Non-Fiction
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences » Politics & Government
- Books » Non-Fiction » Politics & Social Sciences » Politics & Government » International & World Politics
- Books » Non-Fiction » Economics
- Books » Non-Fiction » Economics » International
