Self-sufficiency is a myth. Interdependency,co-operation, mutual-benefit, and trade are real. Even better, these liberties - of markets, trade and enterprise - are the best way to achieve resilience
International trade is good (so long as no-one cuts undersea internet cables). Supply chains that are competitive are good (so long as war does not disrupt them either pushing up prices such as for energy or severing them altogether).
We should encourage international trade (removing barriers such as the EU likes to impose) whilst preparing for its fracture. These two goals are not incompatible. The UK had to 'dig for Britain' during WW2 and if it has to do so again then it would help to have some farms left on which to plant. Digging up car parks would be pain.
With respect to supply chains, the more there are builds in redundancy so natural or man-made calamity have less effect. It seems unlikely we would be at war with every Country at the same time - and likely we would have friends and allies to supply us as in WWII.
By trapping ourselves in the EU aka Fourth Reich, making it our biggest trading partner fails that sensible provision, and makes us hostage to its whims.
People forget, wars, threat/attempts of invasion, disruption of trade, attempts to conquer us have come from that quarter for the last 500 years.
The Euro war-mongers are rattling sabres once again, militarisation is in the air.
About 80% of our trade is by container ship. The Iran war stopped shipping through Hormuz and Suez and routing round the Cape of Good Hope increased costs.
It is not easy to diversify supply chains. Machine tools and medicines are not made in Namibia etc.
The purpose of the Corn Laws was to protect vested interests, land owners and vicariously land workers by keeping out imports and thus keeping up prices and profits. (This is the modus operandi of the EU which some people think is an economic benefit - the impoverishment of consumers to protect profits and interests of producers.)
Bread and cereal based food was a staple and was not fungible. People had to spend a large proportion of their income on it, so could not spend elsewhere in the economy.
When the Corn Laws were repealed, it did affect land owners and workers, but the price of bread and cereals dropped significantly, people were better nourished and more industrious but also had more money to spend on things other than bread and cereal foods. The next decade saw an economic boom, and greater prosperity for all - from taking away import barriers on just one commodity.
EU obsessives - the EU being a protectionist Customs Union - might like to ponder that.
Trade is a two way process. If we are buying food from other Countries, they are being paid in £s. They then use those £s to buy manufactured goods and services we produce, and/or invest in our economy.
Pounds are like homing pigeons, they always come home to roost, either to pay for our produce, or as capital investment.
And finally. A Country and its people grow richer on imports not exports - which are a cost. As someone put it, imports are Christmas Day, exports are the January credit card bill.
The more we buy from others, the more they buy and invest in us.
International trade is good (so long as no-one cuts undersea internet cables). Supply chains that are competitive are good (so long as war does not disrupt them either pushing up prices such as for energy or severing them altogether).
We should encourage international trade (removing barriers such as the EU likes to impose) whilst preparing for its fracture. These two goals are not incompatible. The UK had to 'dig for Britain' during WW2 and if it has to do so again then it would help to have some farms left on which to plant. Digging up car parks would be pain.
This is why we shoukd spend a ton of money on a navy.
With respect to supply chains, the more there are builds in redundancy so natural or man-made calamity have less effect. It seems unlikely we would be at war with every Country at the same time - and likely we would have friends and allies to supply us as in WWII.
By trapping ourselves in the EU aka Fourth Reich, making it our biggest trading partner fails that sensible provision, and makes us hostage to its whims.
People forget, wars, threat/attempts of invasion, disruption of trade, attempts to conquer us have come from that quarter for the last 500 years.
The Euro war-mongers are rattling sabres once again, militarisation is in the air.
That never works out well for us.
About 80% of our trade is by container ship. The Iran war stopped shipping through Hormuz and Suez and routing round the Cape of Good Hope increased costs.
It is not easy to diversify supply chains. Machine tools and medicines are not made in Namibia etc.
The purpose of the Corn Laws was to protect vested interests, land owners and vicariously land workers by keeping out imports and thus keeping up prices and profits. (This is the modus operandi of the EU which some people think is an economic benefit - the impoverishment of consumers to protect profits and interests of producers.)
Bread and cereal based food was a staple and was not fungible. People had to spend a large proportion of their income on it, so could not spend elsewhere in the economy.
When the Corn Laws were repealed, it did affect land owners and workers, but the price of bread and cereals dropped significantly, people were better nourished and more industrious but also had more money to spend on things other than bread and cereal foods. The next decade saw an economic boom, and greater prosperity for all - from taking away import barriers on just one commodity.
EU obsessives - the EU being a protectionist Customs Union - might like to ponder that.
Trade is a two way process. If we are buying food from other Countries, they are being paid in £s. They then use those £s to buy manufactured goods and services we produce, and/or invest in our economy.
Pounds are like homing pigeons, they always come home to roost, either to pay for our produce, or as capital investment.
And finally. A Country and its people grow richer on imports not exports - which are a cost. As someone put it, imports are Christmas Day, exports are the January credit card bill.
The more we buy from others, the more they buy and invest in us.
New Zealand has a population density of 53 people per square mile, compared to 748 people per square mile in the UK.