Resource Nationalism: A Global Redux
FIRST INSTANCE: The Precedent of Maritime Claims and Resource Control The concept of national control over offshore resources gained significant traction in the mid-20th century. The 1945 Truman Proclamations on the continental shelf unilaterally asserted US jurisdiction over natural resources in the subsoil and seabed of the continental shelf contiguous to its shores, effectively initiating the
modern era of maritime resource claims. This move, while framed as economic security, set a precedent for nations defining their resource access without explicit international consensus, sparking a 'scramble' for maritime territories and their underlying riches. (Truman Proclamations, 1945). REPETITIONS: Resource Wars and Geopolitical Leverage 1. The 1970s Oil Shocks: The formation of OPEC and the
subsequent oil embargoes of 1973 demonstrated the profound geopolitical leverage derived from controlling critical resources. Industrialized nations, heavily reliant on imported oil, initiated widespread efforts to diversify energy sources and establish strategic petroleum reserves. This period saw increased investment in domestic oil production and the development of alternative energy
technologies, all spurred by the perceived weaponization of a critical commodity (OPEC, 1973). 2. China's Rare Earth Dominance (2010 onwards): In 2010, following a territorial dispute, China temporarily restricted rare earth exports to Japan. This incident underscored China's near-monopoly on rare earth production (at one point controlling over 90% of global supply in 2011, according to the US