The “startup nation” phenomenon that has made Israel a global technology hub depends entirely on international partnerships, foreign investment and open markets. Economics of autarkyNetanyahu’s vision of an economy with “autarkic features” is not just economically illiterate; it’s potentially catastrophic. Perhaps most troubling is what Netanyahu’s Sparta rhetoric reveals about his approach to international relations. The most dangerous aspect of Netanyahu’s “super-Sparta” vision is that it risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Netanyahu’s vision essentially means turning its economy and society into a war machine, transforming what should be a vibrant democracy into a garrison state.