AUTARCHIA. — According as the term derives from αὐτάρχια or from αὐτάρχια, it assumes the meaning of self-government or self-sufficiency. The former is applied in administrative law, where it serves to indicate an entity to which the power of governing itself is attributed; the latter, in the theory of the State, economic policy, and the international order, indicates the quality of a subject that is sufficient unto itself in its purpose and in the means of achieving II.
The conception of the State as an essentially autarchic entity goes back to Aristotle and has been upheld in the Catholic tradition from s. Tommaso onward, which has continued to define it as a perfect society. Since the State has a natural end embracing all the goods of human life, subordinate to no other superior end of the same order, and since, by virtue of this autonomy, it is not destined to be part of another society, as the individual and the family are, it must possess within itself whatever is necessary for its life; that is, it must be self-sufficient, possessing the minimum means indispensable for attaining its purpose for the benefit of the human person.
An economic principle is also connected with autarchy, according to which the means of production should correspond to consumption, as well as the related policy, whose aim is to stimulate the exploitation of internal resources in order to achieve self-sufficiency. It must not be confused with protectionism, which seeks to safeguard the national market from foreign competition, since autarchy tends, within the broadest possible limits, to eliminate dependence on foreign countries, especially with a view to defence in the event of conflict. The pursuit of a relative autarchy falls among the natural tasks of the State, which is responsible for stimulating and directing production and providing for defence; absolute autarchy, however, is impossible, because of the unequal distribution of the materials necessary for life and civil progress, nor is it demanded by the ends of the State, which can be achieved through cooperation and exchange.
Upon the concepts mentioned, during the last twenty years, new political conceptions concerning international law have been erected. Proceeding from the principle of the State’s need for autarchy, understood in an absolute sense, a right of vital expansion was inferred in favour of States that did not possess such self-sufficiency and could not attain it through the exploitation of internal resources. This conclusion served as support for the theory of living space and the corresponding international order. It should be noted, however, that self-sufficiency cannot serve as the foundation of the theory in question, which rests upon gratuitous assertions. If all States are relatively autarchic, all have an equal right to live and to possess the means indispensable to their existence. Moreover, since total self-sufficiency is not required by the purpose of the State, the basis for the alleged right of vital expansion is lacking, because it is deduced from a false premise.
With regard to the concept of autarchy as the unlimited moral autonomy of the State, V. ASSOLUTISMO.