| Abstract [eng] |
Name of the thesis: Lithuanian Economic Diplomacy in the Face of German Pressure, 1926– 1936 This study investigates whether and how the Lithuanian diplomatic service was mobilized to reduce the country’s economic dependence on Germany during a period of escalating tensions over the Klaipėda Region in 1930-1936. To answer the main question, the thesis: 1. Reviews international political economy theories (neomercantilism, economic liberalism, structuralism), and concept of economic diplomacy. 2. Analyzes political German–Lithuanian relations and identifies the point when risk of economic dependence was recognized. 3. Evaluates diplomatic activity across three timeframes (1926–1929, 1930–1933, and 1934–1936). 4. Compares the intensity and nature of economic diplomacy across all periods. 5. Evaluates whether the decisions made align with neo-mercantilist theory, which holds that economic relations should be subordinated to political interests. Using a comparative analysis, the thesis investigates changes in the structure and activity of Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the emphasis on Economic Department, diplomatic missions and economic treaties. It assesses three key periods - 1926–1929, 1930– 1933, and 1934–1936. It is claimed that from 1930 onward, Lithuanian policymakers recognized economic dependence on Germany as a strategic risk. In response, diplomatic efforts intensified, and important structural changes, which by its scale can be called mobilization, were applied in the period of 1930-1933, before German economic blockade began. The thesis applies a neo-mercantilist framework to show how foreign economic policy was aligned with national political interests, emphasizing trade as a tool of state security. The research contributes to the historical understanding of small-state diplomacy and how it balances between political and economic interests under external pressure. |
