The New Metrics for Building Geopolitical Power in a New World
The twin trends of globalization and information technology were supposed to breed a new era of cooperation. Instead, they have created a new form of international competition. The game is no longer to seize the upper hand in conflict and deterrence or to have the most resources; it is to capture the systems of exchange: networks, standards, and platforms.
China might become the most powerful country in the world without ever surpassing the United States in terms of GDP or traditional military might. If the United States continues to count aircraft carriers and reserve currencies, it will have lost the battle before Walmart is out of business.
Emily de La Bruyère directs analysis at Horizon Advisory, a strategy consultancy focused on documenting the military, economic, and technological implications of China’s approach to global competition. Her work focuses on the role of technology in Beijing’s global strategy – and the manner in which that strategy uproots traditional assumptions about national security. She holds a BA summa cum laude from Princeton University and an MA summa cum laude from Sciences Po, Paris, where she was the Michel David Weill fellow.
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