Technology, Globalization, and Nationalism

The 2016 Campaign season will hit high-gear after Labor Day. It’s rare that the choices between Republicans and Democrats have been so stark. In Chasm Waxing (available for FREE download for a LIMITED time), I portray an establishment candidate as having won in 2016 and being easily re-elected in 2020.

Trump’s brand of nationalism is embraced by Muhammad Rahmati, who endeavors to promote an Islam-first domestic/ international policy as the newly appointed Prime Minister of Iraq.

As George Friedman reminds us in, The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century, every 50 years or so years the election cycle changes. Whether or not this election marks that new cycle remains to be seen. The 50 years pattern calls for it to be the election of 2028 or 2032.

However, one core set of arguments that will be around for a while is the debate between globalism and nationalism. Brexit is the first shot across the bow in what will be a lengthy discussion.

The globalization paradigm is virtually unanimously adhered to amongst the Establishment. This includes mainstream politicians from both parties, intellectuals, and the press. Contrast this with the vacuum that exists for scholarly/ intellectual articles & books written in defense of nationalism. Nationalism needs its own William F. Buckley; if it’s to make it in the world of ideas.

Whoever champions this argument will have a powerful set of tools at his or her disposal: technology. Artificial Intelligence (AI), robots, 3D printing, nano-technologies (perhaps) can turn a key argument for globalization on its head. These technologies enable a just-in-time manufacturing system to be created. It’s possible that speed-to-market will be more valuable than lowest-cost-per-unit.

Of course, these technologies will also displace a number of workers…but I’ll leave that for another post!