Once upon a time, in a wealthy village, lived a craftsman who possessed the world’s finest skill. He built intricate machines that no one else could replicate, sweeping up all the money in the village. People bowed to him, admitting they couldn’t survive a single day without his technology. The craftsman sincerely believed that his wealth and skills were a fortress that guaranteed his safety.
One night, a bandit carrying a club smashed through his front door. The craftsman stood tall and shouted, "If you harm me, you will never be able to use my cutting-edge machines again!" The bandit scoffed, pressing a cold blade against the craftsman’s throat. "Then from now on, those machines are mine. Stop talking and start churning them out."
This brutal fable captures an essential truth that today’s world—screaming for "economic security"—must never forget. Economics and technology are powerful weapons, but they are sophisticated tools that remain valid only when the adversary respects the rules and boundaries. In a jungle ruled by raw violence, an economy and technology backed by no defense capability are nothing more than a giant, alluring piece of prey begging to be plundered.
Historical Proof: Empires That Were Wealthy but Demolished
History is littered with evidence that economic power cannot substitute for defense power.
In the 11th century, the Song Dynasty of China was an overwhelming economic superpower, accounting for nearly half of the global GDP at the time. It was a technological powerhouse that invented the compass and gunpowder. Yet, the price they paid for neglecting defense was catastrophic. Despite their staggering wealth, they had to beg for peace by paying massive annual tributes (tribute silk and silver) to the Khitan and Jurchen tribes, only to be ruthlessly trampled under the boots of the Mongol Empire armed with nothing but horses and blades.
The same logic applies to modern Taiwan. Taiwan holds TSMC, the heart of the global economy that supplies 90% of the world’s advanced microchips. People call this the "Silicon Shield," arguing that because a strike on Taiwan would paralyze the global economy, China will never dare touch it.
However, the moment Taiwan relinquishes its own military defense, that Silicon Shield will crumble like a castle of sand. Threats of cutting off semiconductor supplies carry zero weight in front of naked military force. Technology unsupported by military muscle is not a shield; it becomes a tempting magic wand that practically invites an enemy to come conquer the land and monopolize the prize.
Technology Cannot Defend Itself
While it is true that technology has taken center stage in national security, the vessel that holds that technology is ultimately physical military power.
No matter how superior your Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms and autonomous systems are, if an enemy missile strikes your domestic data centers and power plants, that brilliant AI instantly turns into a pile of scrap metal. No matter how magnificent your autonomous drone technology is, if enemy fighter jets dominate your airspace, your drones will burn at the base before they ever take flight.
In modern warfare, technology is a multiplier that makes defense capabilities lethally potent. When a country with a baseline physical stamina of 100 meets advanced technology (10), it yields a destructive power of 1,000. But for a country whose baseline stamina is 0, no matter how staggering the technology it multiplies by, the final score is always 0. In the face of physical destruction, only physical defense is valid.
The Real Meaning of "Economic Security": He Who Holds the Sword Will Also Take the Shield
Now, we can understand the real reason why superpowers—including Trump’s United States—are aggressively dragging economics and technology back to their own soil while simultaneously boosting defense spending and reinforcing military might on an unprecedented scale.
They do not believe that economics can replace defense. If anything, it is the exact opposite. They are painfully aware that the whips they wield—tariffs and technology export controls (economic security)—only strike true terror into adversaries when they are backed by an overwhelming military force (hard power). The moment America loses its military edge, its financial sanctions and tech embargoes degrade into the hollow roars of a paper tiger.
How to Survive the Jungle
Economics and technology are excellent fortresses and attractive weapons. They upgrade a nation’s weight class during peaceful times and amplify its voice on the diplomatic stage.
Yet, the international community is, by definition, a lawless anarchy—a jungle without a government. When someone crosses the line and shows up at your door with a club, the trillions of dollars in your wallet or the brilliant algorithms inside your smartphone cannot save your life.
Ultimately, the only way a wealthy craftsman survives the jungle is to use his money to hang a heavy, fortified door and keep a sharp sword hidden under his cloak. This is precisely why, even in the era of economic security, classical hard power in the form of national defense remains the ultimate, final bastion of state survival.
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