Microchips are essential components of almost everything we humans make today. Yet, about 90% of the world's microchips come from one country: Taiwan. Given how essential these components are to global manufacturing and trade, the West should be concerned about its reliance on an island that is under threat of invasion from China. This episode explores the history of microchips; how they ended up being almost entirely produced in Taiwan, and what the West should consider doing to protect its supply chain.

Rare earth elements are essential to our world's manufacturing sectors; particularly hi-tech defense equipment, green technologies, and anything that uses a battery or magnet (which is a lot of stuff). Yet, China cornered the market on rare earth element processing, leaving Western democracies vulnerable to trade disruptions. This episode explores the history of rare earth elements and how the West needs to regain market share in rare earth element processing.

The Global Rules Based Order is fracturing. This episode examines its history, relevance to Western liberal democracies, the threats coming from autocratic states, and thoughts on the way forward.

In this episode we examine Australia's military spending - which has not matched NATO increases in % GDP on military spending. With war raging in the Ukraine and the Middle East, and a growing Chinese military threat, many states have substantially increased their military budgets in recent months. Most NATO countries pledged 5% GDP on military spending, and the US is urging its allies in the Indo-Pacific region to do the same. Part 1 of this two-part podcast explored the history of military spending and the reasons for increasing military spending. In this episode (Part 2), we examine Australia's reasons for retaining military spending at 2% GDP.

With war raging in the Ukraine and the Middle East, and a growing Chinese military, many states have substantially increased their military budgets in recent months. Most NATO countries pledged 5% GDP on military spending, and the US is urging its allies in the Indo-Pacific region to do the same. This podcast explores the history of military spending, the reasons for increasing military spending, and in Part 2 (coming out mid-Nov 2025), we will look at the case of Australia - which has not matched NATO increases in % GDP on military spending.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is seeking to counter Western global influence through mutual economic, political and security agreements between its member states. Those states include China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan and Belarus. Some are going so far as to call the Shanghai Cooperation Organization the Global South's NATO. It behooves westerners to understand what the Global South is, and how this loose alliance affects the West - This episode tells you all about it. 

Many modern Western governments are taking the moral absolutist view when interpreting the Laws of War in relation to Gaza - but is this realistic? Their narrow view is likely to be cast aside if they ever find themselves in an existential conflict. This episode is Part 2 of a 2-part series exploring International Humanitarian Law (also known as the Laws of War) in light of the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

Western leaders are calling out Israel for breaches of International Humanitarian Law. Yet, some of their claims demonstrate a misunderstanding of International Humanitarian Law.  This episode dives into the history of the International Humanitarian Law - also known as the Laws of War, and we consider how Western societies interpret these laws in the modern era; particularly in Gaza. Part 2 will be published 1 Oct 2025, and it will discuss a pragmatic view of the Laws of War in modern conflicts. Episode 2 also discusses how the West's moral absolutism is a narrow interpretation that is not suitable for existential conflict.

This episode details:

• The history of Palestine.
• The Hamas attack on Israel of 7 Oct 2023 and Israel's response.
• Why Western nations are supporting recognition of Palestine. Reasons for why this is not the time to recognize Palestine.
• The requirements for recognition of states.
• An alternative view of what needs to happen in Gaza.

The third season of the Spartan Spirit podcast series is called Rescuing Reason. This episode introduces the podcast 'Rescuing Reason'.