Tag Archives: World Island

China: End Run for World Domination

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by DAVID BROWN | CLEARNFO.com | August 12, 2018

The Old Silk Road (114 BC – 1450s AD) was an ancient network of trade routes that connected the East and West: From China, India, Persia (Iran), Arabia, Somalia, Egypt to Europe.

The Old Silk Road – Connecting China to Europe

China’s New Silk Road

Today, China is planning to re-hydrate these ancient trading routes with a new modern Silk Road having already spent more than the US spent on WWII’s Marshall plan; with another $1.3 trillion waiting to build railways, roads, ports, and power grids over the next 10 years.

China’s new Silk Road – the Belt and Road Initiative

“Who rules the World Island commands the world”

The new Silk Road is now called the “Belt and Road” initiative, and is under active construction. With all this excitement and activity, one can’t help but think of Helford Mackinder’s (1861 – 1947) Heartland Theory of the World Island and his prescient words:

“Who rules Eastern Europe commands the Heartland
Who rules the Heartland commands the World Island
Who rules the World Island commands the world”

Helford Mackinder – Heartland Theory of the World Island

The Rimland is not enough

During the pinnacle of the British Empire’s power, Briton found it too costly –and the logistics technologically impractical– to go inland to conquer the ‘Heartland’ of the ‘World Island’;  so the Empire chose to control the seas and impose its will inward from the Rimland.  Once the greatest sea power the world had ever known, the Empire –weakened by The Great Wars–  encouraged its former colony (America) to fill the vacuum.  Still, the Heartland of the World Island –and the power it could unleash– was mostly ignored or forgotten by many –until recently.    Though Mackinder’s Heartland theory  is outdated, it’s basic premise is still valid and it seems clear China believes it can command the world by commanding the World Island.

NOTE: The “heartland”  was also referred to as the “pivot area” and as the core of Eurasia. Mackinder considered all of Europe and Asia as the World Island.

Additional reading on this topic

Eurasia, the “World Island”

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by DAVID BROWN | CLEARNFO.com | June 24, 2015

Interesting, but lengthy analysis of Mackinder and Zbig’s theory of the World Island from 2006 in the link below. Though Eurasia may not possess the specific strategic qualities identified by Mackinder, it is nonetheless the major game on today’s geopolitical stage, bringing together Russia and China while the Anglo-American Establishment (represented by US/UK) is being left out in the cold.

North America

North America

The World Island

The World Island

As a result of my Anglo-American education, most maps I grew up with had the USA as the center of the known universe with the globe slightly tilted to display more of the northern hemisphere. And of course across ‘the pond’ was Western Europe. However, if we reposition our vantage point to be centered over central Asia, the world takes on an entirely new flavor. This view is a view of the great ‘World Island’ (including China, Russia, Middle East, Africa, India, Europe, the *stans, etc.) and is what our geopolitical planners and of course Russia, China and others are keenly aware of. From the late 16th century to WWI (World War One), the British extended and maintained its empire by controlling the seas. After the Empire’s pentacle of power marked by WWI, the control of the seas was bequeathed to Briton’s Prodigal child, the USA. Implicit in controlling the seas is the desire to control the land masses behind the seas since it is far easier and less expensive to control the seas and project power from the seas than to attempt to control all the land inland. So, from WWII to present, this has been the USA’s default position. Control of the seas was essential to control those who lived on the land behind the seas.

China and Russia fully understand they are no match for the military might of the USA, but the USA is heavily committed to the old, outdated British paradigm of controlling the seas to control the land. Zbig and others recognized this one dimensional weakness and set about new methods and strategies (including Gladio Operations, Color Revolutions, NGOs, forward NATO bases, USAID, World Bank, IMF, etc) to contain their existing vassal states and to bring Russia and China under control or at a minimum limit their ability to contest the primacy of the mono-polar world of the Anglo-American power structure. If you look at a map of US Military and NATO bases, you will quickly discover the USA’s plan of encircling and containing Russia and China.

Russia and China are pragmatic and realize that they cannot control the seas or directly contest the USA’s massive military; so have decided to go inland, rehydrate the old Silk Road and build a new financial infrastructure without the Anglo-American Establishment’s permission.

“A victorious Roman general, when he entered the city, amid all the head-turning splendor of a `Triumph,’ had behind him on the chariot a slave who whispered into his ear that he was mortal. When our statesmen are in conversation with the defeated enemy, some airy cherub should whisper to them from time to time this saying: Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; Who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island; Who rules the World-Island commands the World.” –Sir Halford Mackinder, 1919

“Paradoxically, our attempts to prevent a Eurasian anti-American alliance may make that outcome more likely. As Steven Walt has persuasively shown, imbalances of threat, not imbalances of power, drive alliances together. Our attempts to project power into the Heartland, if done clumsily, can heighten threat perceptions in its capitals, making such counterproductive alliances more attractive.” – Christopher J. Fettweis

Eurasia, the “World Island”: Geopolitics, and Policymaking in the 21st Century
By Christopher J. Fettweis Global Research, March 14, 2006

Additional Reading: