Swammerdami
Squadron Leader
Some countries enjoy huge military and/or economic success while others stagnate. It's interesting to relate the success to simple geography. Egypt was the most enduring of the early civilizations because the Nile River is surrounded by desert. Jared Diamond writes on this topic. Are some of the conclusions too "reductionist"? Maybe, but reductionism is good if not carried too far.
I found this video on the Maxinomics channel to be interesting, and definitely worth a watch. It's titled "The Myth of American Decline" but -- although he may be right that geography will ensure continued American dominance despite present stupidities -- the video also looks at other countries and continents. Africa is hampered by lack of sea transport: Unlike in Europe and America, glaciers didn't etch deep channels out of the sea coast. And, while the Mississippi Basin allegedly has "more miles of navigable river than the rest of the world put together", the Inga Falls prevent boats in the vast Congo River Basin from reaching the sea.
I'm sure there are interesting facets to the relationship between geography and a country's trajectory that Phil Andrews doesn't touch on.
I found this video on the Maxinomics channel to be interesting, and definitely worth a watch. It's titled "The Myth of American Decline" but -- although he may be right that geography will ensure continued American dominance despite present stupidities -- the video also looks at other countries and continents. Africa is hampered by lack of sea transport: Unlike in Europe and America, glaciers didn't etch deep channels out of the sea coast. And, while the Mississippi Basin allegedly has "more miles of navigable river than the rest of the world put together", the Inga Falls prevent boats in the vast Congo River Basin from reaching the sea.
I'm sure there are interesting facets to the relationship between geography and a country's trajectory that Phil Andrews doesn't touch on.