Patriots and Profiteers takes a wide-ranging look at economic warfare and the unexpected outcomes of sanctions and embargoes. Rather than assuming trade pressure reliably curbs aggression, the book traces patterns where economic coercion backfires or produces damaging side effects.

Drawing on cases from before the First World War through late 20th-century conflicts, the narrative examines how embargoes reshaped alliances and spawned illicit networks. Examples include the ways sanctions affected South Africa and pushed Cuba toward the Soviet Union, and how modern embargoes have coincided with gun-running, money laundering and smuggling.

The account blends historical survey with vivid anecdotes about smugglers, spies and shadow economies, offering useful context for students of international relations, policy analysts and readers interested in the intersection of economics and crime.

Key themes

• Limits and unintended consequences of sanctions
• How embargoes enable illicit trade networks
• Comparative historical case studies and policy implications

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