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Ongoing discourse in the international media is largely focussed on the incoming US administration. Not simply for their choices for key positions, but to ascertain the intent behind the bluster, what is the goal of reorienting the economics and relationships of the world’s superpower. Again, for the folks in the back, this is about knowledge, not opinion. The goal is to be part of the group who draw the correct conclusions and understands the specific roadmap of the new hegemonic leadership, thus embracing it to succeed.

My argument is that this is an exercise in national preparedness. 

The role of a federal government in any nation is to look outwards and hold onto internal unity. The role of public policy is to be the instrument that leads to that outcome, to design legislative statues with guiding regulations, supported by focussed administrative procedures that deliver on one of the two. To use a sports analogy, every nation has a home and away game. At home, where their records are normally more positive, the regime must settle internal quibbles and public demonstrations of angst with the administration, in democracies through ensuring the sub-national governments are capable of meeting the needs of residents and national programs are functioning at least above par. On the road, there are no fans, only opponents, where the record is usually less favourable, but there are key matchups in regional divisions that need to be dominated, or at least, neutral.

Whether you’re a fan of Peter Zeihan, Ray Dalio, Ian Bremmer, Yuval Harari or other notable thinkers, there is a consistent thread throughout their writings. A nation must be capable of delivering for their citizens, providing for their needs and protection. There are many theories on how to accomplish this, but in simple modern terms, it is the provision of food, energy, resources and a functioning economy in which residents can participate, thrive, survive and see a future. 

The provision of those elements is national preparedness.

A government must ensure that its citizen’s eat, so they either grow the totality of nutrients required to sustain the population, or they negotiate trade deals to allow the import of food. Further, a nation living in the 21st century requires a reliable source of power, generated organically within its borders or traded with nations. Finally, core resources, like steel and its byproducts, technological inputs like semiconductors and the litany of supporting parts are essential to a nation’s prosperity. Governments across the ideological spectrum negotiate trade deals to facilitate the ongoing provision of these three key elements: food, energy and resources. Together, they facilitate the functioning economy. These inputs allow a nation to create commerce, lives for their citizens and prosperity - as well as keeping a politician in power.

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