The Future of Countries

Parag Khanna is a geographic strategist and writer, pushing the importance of mapping and geographical boundaries. He argues that while the line on a map may seem trivial today, there is a weighty importance involved in the placement. These simple lines and boundaries are at the center of modern border conflicts. He offers some simple solutions for solving them. In becoming more aware of our political geography, border issues would be put backstage in the theater of global tensions.

He challenges the audience with the political challenge of mapping. How we choose to distribute ourselves throughout the world is a highly sensitive political issue. It is a thought provoking concept as to whether or not there is a "best" way to map out boundaries and borders. People, money, power and culture are constantly changing the subtle lines of the global grid. Colonies were once conquered, while today countries are bought. He illustrates his point with the relationship between China and Mongolia. China is stripping down the neighbouring country's land as it purchases mine shaft after mine shaft.