The Global Integration Dilemma: Functionalist Efficient Stability Versus Geoeconomic Vulnerability Risks

Paul Dragos Aligica () and Robert Gabriel Ciobanu
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Paul Dragos Aligica: Mercatus Center, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
Robert Gabriel Ciobanu: Department of Administrative Sciences, University of Bucharest, 030018 București, Romania

JRFM, 2025, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-16

Abstract: This article explores the complex trade-offs involved in global economic integration. While economic integration, through mechanisms such as customs unions, promotes efficiency, trade, and cooperation, it also introduces significant vulnerabilities, particularly in the context of geoeconomics and weaponized interdependence. Drawing on the theories of Jacob Viner and David Mitrany, this paper illustrates how functionalist economic stability and efficiency are essential but must be balanced with considerations of resilience and security. Case studies such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Europe’s reliance on Russian gas during the Ukraine war highlight the risks of overdependence in interconnected global systems. Ultimately, this paper argues for a nuanced approach that balances economic benefits with the geopolitical risks of interdependence, advocating for a mixed framework that integrates both efficiency and stability.

Keywords: globalization; interdependence; trade-offs; strategic vulnerabilities; resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C E F2 F3 G (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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