competitiveness of national production, adhering to trade preferences, ensuring the
benefits of the national economy in global markets, as well as protecting the interests
of the state in technological areas [17:12]. The Japanese economist Okita chose a more
humanistic approach, seeing the state’s economic security as a condition when the
country would not have enemies, and for this purpose it would be desirable to create
favorable conditions for import inflows into the country, strengthening of the national
currency, and the development of strategic investment policy [18: 7].
Among Ukrainian scholars, the category of economic security appeared relatively
late, in the early 90s of the twentieth century [21: 393]. It has remained relevant since
and calls for further study, since the above-mentioned approach renders it difficult to
investigate the national economic security in its sectorial and territorial dimension,
which requires inclusion of such components as region, industry, and sector into the
hierarchy of levels of economic security of the state. Furthermore, to gain systemic
understanding of the essence of economic security of a state, we need to define the
process of its provision and functioning of its interconnected elements in dynamics: the
existing level, the protection of its interests in the future, their ability to grow, etc.
In this respect, we agree with Pasternak-Taranushenko, who in his study of the
the systems of national economic security suggests that the protective measures of all
the national interests of a state (i.e. political, military, economic, legal, etc.) are tightly
connected and often inseparable; and the sources of economic threats are both internal
and external. The author defines national economic security as a condition where the
government is able to guarantee the creation and development of the country’s
economic growth for the benefit and prosperity of its people. [11:29]. According to the
author, economic security is a complex system that is maintained by a multitude of
well-managed actions. It can also be seen from different foci, e.g. demographic,
environmental, resource, drinking water, food, and energy supply, information, etc.
Hradov defines economic security as “a state of national economy that meets the
coyntry’s vital material needs regardless of the emergence of any force majeure
situations of socio-political, economic or environmental character either on the global
level, or inside the country [5:148].
Shlemko and Binko, representatives of the National Institute for Strategic
Planning, suggest that “ economic security is a state of a national economy, that makes
a country sustainable to internal and external threats and allows meeting the needs of
individuals, houslehols, society and the state” [19: 8].
A different approach to the definition of economic security is put forward by an
influential economist Zhalilo. He identifies three fundamental levels of the national
economic security: of a state, of an economic agent (a firm), and of an individual. He
sees the essence of reproducible processes as a criterion for dividing the interests of
different levels in the hierarchy of economic management [7: 2].
- 171 -