He has a point. Has any other country in history spent its work-created wealth on purchasing a natural resource from another country like we do for oil? Did Spain purchase gold from the Mayans and Aztecs? Did England purchase diamonds and gold from the Zulu tribes of South Africa?Hyper powers with long longevity always survive via trade. Both England and Spain failed as world powers because they were unable to manage their colonies and resources in a sustainable way. Amy Chua has a good book, with well grounded recommendations IMO. Check it out here.
Looks like an interesting book, I’ll have to look for it the next time I’m at the library.