Abstract:
Based on concepts such as “digital sovereignty” and “strategic autonomy,” this analysis examines the digital dependency of 37 countries, drawing on three data sets and a variety of indicators. While the results vary widely across different sectors (software and hardware) and dimensions (trade, infrastructure, intellectual property), the overall picture reveals a high average level of digital dependence. The data also reveal a highly asymmetrical structure. The U.S. is by far the least digitally dependent economy with a score of 0.46. The most pronounced asymmetry between the U.S. and the rest of the world is seen in dependence on digital infrastructure. China has made tremendous progress in reducing its digital dependence over the past decade. European countries, on the other hand, maintained a highly vulnerable status. Quantitative measurement of digital dependence suggests a reassessment of common notions of “digital autonomy.” From the perspective of global structures, autonomy remains an illusion for the countries of Europe, as it is for most others.