“Every weakness in the world starts with a local assumption.”
The world shuddered in early 2020. But what happened next wasn’t just a virus; it was a chain reaction that spread across countries, markets, and borders. All of a sudden, ships couldn’t dock. The shelves were empty. Contracts fell apart. Microchips are gone. There wasn’t much medicine left.
This wasn’t merely a health problem.
It was a failure of logistics.
That collapse is now one of the best current examples of how fragile systems can be, and more crucially, it is a model for how to think about resilience on a global scale.
The World Order Was Based on Assumptions
This is how the world economy worked:
- Parts are made in one nation.
- Another puts together.
- A third one sells.
- A fourth one brings.
Everything happened at the right time. The prices are all just right.
The supply chain is the quiet part of globalization.
But here’s the unpleasant truth:
The systems in the world weren’t made to handle shock. They were ordered to stay away from it.
So when the shocks hit—war, pandemics, labor strikes, and blockades—whole industries came to a standstill.
Not because there isn’t enough new ideas.
Because they aren’t strong enough.
From Just-in-Time to Just-Barely-Holding-On Countries and businesses had made the most of:
- Less expensive work
- Small amount of stock
- A quicker turnover
- Control from one place
But every shortcut made things less safe:
- Prices go up all throughout the world when one port closes.
- One supplier goes out of business, and manufacturing stops on five continents.
- One war zone makes the whole energy sector shake.
- We saw how prosperity systems acted like paper fortresses.
The Growth of Resilience Thinking in Businesses and Countries
What is going on now?
Countries are changing direction. Without making a sound. In a planned way.
Countries are: Bringing back important production (energy, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors)
Not depending too much on one partner, especially China
Stockpiling necessities instead of expecting free trade
Strengthening digital supply chains to protect them against cyber attacks
Companies are:
Mapping supply chain risk like military operations
Setting up manufacturing hubs in different parts of the country
Not simply saving costs, but redesigning systems for redundancy and visibility.
In short, resilience is the new measure of global trustworthiness.
The Lesson for the World—and You You don’t have to be a politician to use this.
This isn’t simply about contracts or cargo ships.
It’s about how systems break down and how they need to be reconstructed.
Talk to any general, strategist, or empire builder:
“Your ability to handle stress is what gives you power.”
That’s true for the country as a whole.
It is true on a personal level.
Important Points: How to Think Globally in Your Life
Don’t make systems that are perfect.
Global trade was based on calm waters. They have storms. You will too.
Make dependencies more varied.
Don’t let one vendor, one team, or one procedure take over your empire.
Think like a state, and act like a builder.
Why aren’t you getting ready for the impact if other countries are?
Redesign with stress in mind.
Your systems need to be able to handle chaos, not merely make things easier.
Final Word: Collapse Shows the Plan
Every occurrence in the world is a mirror.
There was no mistake in the supply chain crisis. It was an eye-opener.
It showed us that modern systems aren’t broken; they are meant to be weak.
And it pushed every serious leader, every serious nation, and every serious constructor to improve the way we build, protect, and flow.
Larry Arno Watkins
Researcher. Strategic Analyst. Writer of Systems Worth Building.
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