Photo by Jennifer Dyck

While you can thank trade between nations for the pleasure of eating avocados at any time of the year, trade relations can have another important benefit: deterring conflict.

Aseygul Aydin (Journal of Peace Research, September 2010) examined data from the Correlates of War project and confirmed past findings that trade can deter interstate conflict. That much we knew. However, while past studies have found the volume of trade is key, Aydin found trade also matters because it fosters connectivity.

As Aydin explains, states are likely to intervene in conflicts that threaten economic interests, *especially* if those interests are linked through regional trade organizations. Those groups form dense ties and are directly affected when one of their members falls into conflict. For these reasons, other states might view membership in a regional organization (rather than in a more diffuse international group, like the World Trade Organization) as a signal of long-term economic interest by member states.

Apparently, your mango or banana is more valuable than you realize.