The Mad Scramble for Power: Global Superpowers’ Strategies for Energy, Economics, and War
Reality Roundtable 16
March 24th, 2025
(Conversation recorded on March 10th, 2025)
Show Summary
The rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape of recent years can be hard to follow. With economic conflicts between global superpowers and violent clashes across multiple continents, today’s events can seem starkly different from the trajectory of past decades. So, how can a deeper understanding of energy and resource security help us make sense of these chaotic trends?
In this discussion, Nate is joined by Art Berman, Michael Every, and Izabella Kaminska for a broad exploration of the complex relationship between energy, geopolitics, and economic strategy. Together, they provide valuable insights into the consequences of deindustrialization, the impact of military spending, and the urgent need to reassess strategies as resources dwindle and geopolitical tensions rise.
How is the use of fear as a political tool intertwined with the challenges of trust and disinformation in navigating turbulent international conflicts? What role is the race for Artificial General Intelligence and Quantum Computing playing in these rapidly changing situations? And ultimately, what should we, as citizens, be expecting from our leaders at the global stage as the struggle for power in the 21st century continues to intensify?
About Art Berman
Arthur E. Berman is a petroleum geologist with over 40 years of oil and gas industry experience. He is an expert on U.S. shale plays and is currently consulting for several E&P companies and capital groups in the energy sector.
About Michael Every
Michael Every is Global Strategist at Rabobank Singapore analyzing major developments and key thematic trends, especially on the intersection of geopolitics, economics, and markets. He is frequently published and quoted in financial media, is a regular conference keynote speaker, and was invited to present to the 2022 G-20 on the current global crisis.
About Izabella Kaminska
Izabella Kaminska is the founding editor of The Blind Spot, a finance and business news website. She is also senior finance editor at POLITICO. Izabella was previously editor of the Financial Times' Alphaville blog, and an associate producer at CNBC.
Show Notes & Links to Learn More
00:00 - Art Berman + TGS Episodes, Izabella Kaminska, Michael Every + TGS Episode & Reality Roundtable
04:26 - Daniel Yergin, The Prize, Statement on energy policy
05:07 - Trump’s objective on energy policy
05:21 - Refinery shortages, processing capacity investment outlook
05:57 - U.S. energy exports, Strategic Petroleum Reserve
11:01 - Franklin D Roosevelt energy policy
12:32 - Dynamics of Energy Supply and Price
14:08 - History of US approach to oil
14:37 - 1970s oil shocks
15:13 - Canadian/US energy trade dynamics
15:34 - Europe net exports gasoline
16:22 - LNG
16:32 - U.S. is the largest LNG exporter, pressure on Europe
16:53 - China’s renewable dominance
17:06 - Biden renewable policy, Trump’s renewable policy, Europe and renewables
17:34 - Statecraft, Macroeconomic tools
19:32 - U.S. and Europe stances in Ukraine
20:10 - Bond markets and military history
20:34 - Elizabeth Truss
21:11 - Russell Napier, financial repression
21:46 - Mario Draghi Plan
22:15 - American Protection of European States
22:38 - Trump plans to pull out of NATO
24:24 - 10k watts of energy use in the United States
24:54 - Mad Man Theory
25:56 - Lower for Longer
27:07 - Trump administration demands for defense spending in Europe
27:43 - Rabobank report on Draghi’s call for defense spending
31:42 - Information warfare
33:19 - Europe’s energy constraints
34:45 - Europe, China, and US imports of crude oil
35:16 - Energy Supply and Demand Peak Plateau
36:13 - Types of liberal political philosophies
41:35 - Quantum Computing
42:16 - BattleStar Galactica
48:18 - Renaissance Popes
49:38 - The limits of fusion as an electric source
50:13 - Cognitive Dissonance
51:02 - U.S. deindustrialization
53:19 - Leo Strauss, neoconservatism
54:23 - Cylons
55:54 - Feudalism
57:06 - Greek Classics
1:03:41 - COVID effects on energy inventory
1:06:09 - Polybius, Anacyclosis
1:06:45 - Founding Fathers influenced by Anacyclosis
1:07:30 - Perspectives on Authoritarian States
1:10:23 - Zoltan Pozsar
1:10:35 - 10% of america is responsible for 50% of consumption
1:11:15 - China’s financial repression functions and mechanisms
1:12:56 - Common Prosperity, Trump administration on "Main Street not Wall Street"
1:13:27 - Mercantilism
1:16:16 - Defense Production Act
1:16:45 - Shale oil
1:21:27 - ‘Face Saving’ Culture
1:25:41 - Red Sea cut-off by Houthis
1:26:48 - Strongman Politics