"When goods do not cross borders, soldiers will"

Frederic Bastiat’s assertion speaks to the close relationship between economic exchange and peace among nations. Trade fosters interdependence, creating mutual benefits that discourage conflict. When countries engage in commerce, they develop vested interests in each other’s prosperity. Merchants, manufacturers, and consumers on both sides rely on the successful exchange of goods and services, which leads to a web of cooperation and collaboration. Disruption through war becomes not only morally questionable but economically damaging to all involved.

The crossing of goods represents openness, conversation, and the recognition of shared needs and desires across borders. When barriers such as tariffs, embargoes, or nationalistic policies hinder this flow, nations begin to perceive each other less as partners and more as competitors, sometimes even as threats. Suspicion builds as economic hardships caused by protectionism or autarky foster resentment and distrust. If peaceful interaction through trade is blocked, other less desirable interactions—like military confrontations—become more likely as governments seek to secure resources, protect industries, or assert political power.

History offers many examples where economic isolation or boycotts have exacerbated tensions rather than resolving them. When mutually beneficial trade is absent, governments may justify force as a means to pursue what diplomacy and commerce no longer provide. Soldiers replace merchants at the borders, and rather than enriching each other through exchange, nations expend resources in conflict.

Bastiat’s insight remains timeless. In a globalized world, economic globalization often acts as a stabilizer. Trade agreements, cross-border investments, and the movement of goods foster communication and understanding. The presence of a thriving commercial relationship makes the cost of war prohibitive and the value of peace apparent. The absence of trade, conversely, removes these incentives and may allow nationalist or militaristic interests to dominate decision-making, with potentially dire consequences for global peace and prosperity.