Infrastructure and the Fate of Nations

The New York Times reports on "the New Silk Road"--that is, the railroad line connecting Europe to China.   As the Times puts it, the Silk Road, which was eclipsed by ocean-going cargo ships, is now being brought back: "Now, Hewlett-Packard has revived the route as a faster, overland alternative to shipping electronics from China to European markets by sea."

Anything that strengthens the hand of the Russians is of interest to the US, of course.  And yet the revival the Silk Road is a reminder that  a single piece of infrastructure can upset existing trade relations--and the fate of nations.

See: Canal, Erie, Railroad, Transcontinental, Canal, Panama, and Highways, Interstate.