Blog 10

Inayatullah’s statements are based on the fact that some states are not adequately prepared for the burden of globalism and globalization, and others who have been through an exceptional period of state building and economic recovery are secure enough to be major players in the global arena and acquire wealth. The use of the word fair is subjective, because regardless of if this scenario is fair (presumably unfair for the nations who find themselves without the “upper hand”), the societal system that exists will most likely continue. There are certain instances, surely, when one nation is blessed with an abundance of resources and cannot help but rise to economic high standing because of exceptional exploitation of those resources. However, when deliberate choices are made not to exploit those resources and assist the economy in substantial ways, it becomes time to examine what is fundamentally wrong that prevented a nation from becoming a major player.

Take, for instance, the much debated Middle East. The region is rich in certain resources and allows for definite manipulation of prices in order to further economic pursuits. However, an authoritarian government and a consistently stagnant economy begs the question of if it is fair that a nation that should technically be what we’d consider wealthy because of how highly demanded their resource is, is a nation that is struggling significantly in the global arena. Seen from this point of view, economic success, in some cases, is actually the responsibility of the proprietor nation. Failure to capitalize on certain resources and allot a certain amount of attention to building a stable economy can only be regarded as a failure on the state’s part, and this will unfortunately work to the benefit of the other nations involved in international trade. The notion that a nation is not “adequately prepared” for a transition into a position of power and international recognition is a fair assessment. There are some nations who have not had important historical events that can prepare them for working globally, such as a large industrial boom or a series of stable economic policies that allow for some period of fiscal dominance or erasure of extreme fragility. Those nations who have not had this opportunity are automatically at a disadvantage and cannot be as economically viable.

Life isn’t fair. It’s just fairer than death, that’s all. ~William Goldman.