Geography

The announcement of potential 500% tariffs on countries importing Russian energy marks another chapter in the West’s economic containment strategy. But beneath the headlines about sanctions and trade wars lies a deeper question: why does China find itself surrounded by hostile neighbors while America dominates its hemisphere? The Neighborhood Problem China faces a strategic paradox that few rising powers have successfully navigated. Unlike the United States, which secured friendly relations across the Western Hemisphere through a combination of economic incentives and occasional force, China has managed to alienate nearly every country on its periphery.

When we think about global dominance, we often fixate on military strength, economic output, or territorial reach. But the most profound form of power isn’t measured in aircraft carriers or GDP—it’s measured in something far more subtle: the ability to set the standards by which everyone else is judged. The Gang That Runs the World Throughout history, only a handful of civilizations have achieved true global cultural dominance.