The World Is Flat - My Perceptions

This post is based on the applicability of Thomas Friedman's famous "The World is Flat", in a different sense. This book is a classic piece of work, which deals with the various influences that shape today's economies, markets and competition. It narrates a splendid presentation of the world as it was when America was discovered, to the modern call-centre and Indian BPOs. It deals with the Great Depression, and also the fast evolving world economic scenario, which most of us struggle to keep pace with.

I would like to think about the concept of the world being flat from a different point of view. So far we've had two World Wars. Then there was also the Cold War. I think the Cold War was the first of it's kind - it brought into existence the concept of Space Wars. Not a shot was fired - it was like two guys with ten foot rakes stuck in a telephone booth, jostling for space and trying every means to get a better space and hence a better shot. What with nanotechnology taking such great strides, the concept of space travel and space trade is becoming clearer.

Trade as we know it today, takes place over land, sea and air. Not but a hundred years ago, the first aeroplane was taking it's flight for a record 12 seconds... and today air travel has far superseded sea travel, at least when people are to be transported. Cargo, however is better shipped along the water routes.

It is fair to say that the American Navy controls most of the water lanes in the world, just as the British Navy did not so long ago, ultimately ushering forth a century of peace, unlike the years before it. When nanotechnology takes over, however, it'll be the power that controls the space, not water, that'll have major say in the trade and economic goings-on in the world. For example, countries like Australia, which are islands, depend heavily on the sea routes for imports. When space travel becomes a reality, when we can contemplate flying trucks and containers, sea trade will reduce dramatically owing to the time constraints. This will become the great leveler, and the country that makes the most use of this technology now will essentially become a major superpower.