By Dr. Douglas F. Levesque, Founder of The Levesque Institute
This regular feature in our magazine endorses the nation-state economic model as the Biblical framework for a nation’s foreign policy as opposed to the globalism and multi-culturalism espoused by so many today. At least twelve economic factors seen in Scripture can also be seen in history and are applicable to modern decision making. These are excerpted from Dr. Levesque’s “The Design and Destiny of Nations.”
Factor Four – Logistics
When a country identifies its national resources, it helps it to form an identity around that resource. Think Texas oil or Maine lobster. Every nation has some golden commodity. Some more or less than others. This scale of resources is directly related to the scale of national prosperity. Norway has mining and fishing, fjords and skiing. Such a combination has produced a society keen on exploration and industrious trade. This universal factor of logistics has its place among chief indicators of national contentment and success.
What a country lacks defines it as much as what they have in abundance. Imperial Japan needed oil and rubber to fuel its industrial boom and military machine; therefore, it became aggressive toward the Indonesian resources. Spanish explorers sought gold in the new world to fund its attempts at European dominance in the old. Its mismanagement of the logistics resources led to its loss of both the new world and European influence. Today oil is the gold, and natural gas the silver of the global market. Countries rich in these commodities can use them to tyrannically frustrate the world or benevolently lead it into prosperity. No nation is more rich in diamond quantities and qualities than South Africa. This factor alone makes it a dominant powerhouse on the African Continent; however, together with the Complexity of languages (Dutch, English, Swahili, etc.), unique borders (states within states) and location (Angola, Zimbabwe) this factor alone does not make a world power.
Strong legislatures, leaders and citizens should:
a. Inventory and map its resources and determine its lack thereof.
b. Know what resources are renewable and which are not. Some national guidelines should be drawn up and enforced concerning these resources.
c. In the private ownership and trade of these goods, reporting should be made. There should be a sense of national pride. Tax breaks should be considered in order to foster the keen development of these resources.
d. Trade alliances, embargoes and tariffs should be applied in order to further the citizenry not the government apparatus.
e. A secretary of resources should be developed in order to make the most of this factor. This factor is best developed along with other factors.
f. When lacking certain resources, nations can and should attempt to maintain independence by using alternate resources. (i.e. no wood – use concrete)
Great Britain was masterful in colonization and trade. It became proficient in textiles like paper and wool, for which it traded with its colonies for sugar, tobacco and lumber. However, heavy taxation on its colonies and heavy handed exploitation for profit of colonial resources bred discontent. Colonies learned to value their own resources and in turn began to hold England up on its trade. England learned that it was easier to trade with a country than a colony. It was more expensive and less expedient to control countries than to trade commodities.
“And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.” – Genesis 2:10-12
