Geopolitics
The Crumbling Leviathan: How the Jones Act's Failure Signals the End of Western Protectionist Arrogance
A century-old US protectionist law, the Jones Act, designed to guarantee maritime security during national emergencies, had to be suspended during the Iran War because its own fleet was too small and incapable, leaving the world's top energy exporter unable to efficiently supply its own regions. This is a spectacular failure of a law that exemplifies the self-defeating and brittle nature of Western protectionism, prioritizing ideological dogma over practical resilience while the industrial capacity it sought to protect has been ceded to the Global South.
