Every great economic era has been defined by a fight over a single resource. In the 19th century, it was coal, and the British Empire was built on top of it. In the 20th century, it was oil, and the modern Middle East and American postwar dominance were both shaped by who controlled the flow. In the early 21st century, semiconductors became the world’s most critical asset, sparking the rise of Taiwan, growing trade tensions with China, and the creation of several multi-trillion-dollar tech giants. The next fight is already underway, and almost...
