Long before the beginning of the war in Ukraine I have been warning about the inevitability of global conflict between the East and the West, specifically in terms of the economic consequences that will arise should war break out. Of course, what you and I might see as consequences, others might see as an opportunity.
Without a doubt there is a contingent of power brokers within our society that would benefit greatly from such an event. Large scale wars, even when they are fought through regional proxy states (like Ukraine or Israel), lead to chaotic financial conditions that in turn lead to tighter government controls on everything.
During WWII the US spent over 40% of its GDP on defense; compare that to only 4% today. Americans in 2024 have no concept of the resource bottleneck that occurs during periods of large scale industrial warfare. I’m not talking about sending 100,000 troops along with naval contingent to fight low tech guerrillas in country like Afghanistan; I’m talking about 15 million troops or more (most of them drafted) and a massive scramble for resources on a scale not seen in a century. Very few people alive in the west today know what this means.
Consider for a moment the disaster that would befall the global supply chain. A large percentage of commodities and manufacturing come from the East and from the Middle East. American manufacturing has all but disappeared compared to the last world war. The amount of capital needed to revamp that kind of industry is immense. The time to train enough Americans for manufacturing work during wartime is considerable.
But beyond the lack of an industrial base to feed the vast military machine needed to sustain a global conflagration, there are a host of resource issues that no one thinks about. For example:
- Millions of young men being sent off to fight means far fewer potential workers across the board. Numerous sectors of the market would be desperate for skilled labor.
- Businesses dealing in vital resources and components will be pressured to forgo consumer markets and focus on government contracts in the name of national security.
- National spending would skyrocket creating more inflation, and this would be on top of supply shortages. Price controls would be the result, destroying all profit incentive and leading to many smaller businesses shutting down.
- It’s likely that most vital industries would be nationalized and managed by the government under the rationale that they might collapse otherwise. This would include agriculture (food).
Rationing would be pervasive, as it has been during every major war. The majority of goods would go to the war effort and consumers at home would be stuck with ration cards (digital versions) greatly limiting their ability to stockpile necessities for the future. Prepping would essentially die out at this point, except for those with access to black markets, and all preppers would have to shift into pure survival mode.
Rationing and price controls create a culture of government dependency, which is the last thing you want if you hope to keep your society free. Once a population is dependent on rations or some form of Universal Basic Income (UBI), the downhill slide into full tyranny begins.
The final stage of a long term war economy is usually resource confiscation. In other words, the government may try to implement imminent domain over land, crops, arms and even food stockpiles. This is not done because they necessarily need these goods. This is done to ensure that there’s no resources available that the public can use to rebel.
At this point, the only choice is to fight back or starve to death like peasants in a Soviet-style famine. This is why organization among patriots and preppers is so important – NEVER let yourself end up in a position where you have to give up your preps.
Currently, the war in Ukraine is balancing precariously on the edge of escalation. In the Middle East the powederkeg has already exploded (as I warned it would) between Israel and Lebanon, and it’s only a matter of time before a ground war with Iran erupts. The Biden Administration has clearly indicated that it will move to support Israel, especially if Iran enters the fray.
Meaning, world war has already started. There’s a reason why so many western government have been talking openly about conscription in the past year – They have been preparing the public mentally for a draft. There is no way the US, for example, would be able to fight across Lebanon, Syria and Iran without a draft. There is no way the EU and the US would be able to fight a war with Russia (or China) without a draft. It’s that simple.
By my observations there is a large percentage of American men who will not comply with conscription. There will be attempts to force them to do so. As we saw during the pandemic mandates, officials will try to create economic punishments for those that refuse to accept a draft. The government will try to prevent them from holding a job, deny them access to certain places, or even try to deny them ration cards.
The non-compliant will have to be self sufficient and prepared, and those who are prepared will be labeled treasonous. None of that matters.
Unless you actually believe that another world war is a noble and righteous endeavor, what matters most is that we have the ability to say no. And, the more resources we have at our disposal the easier it will be to say no. The insidious control that comes with multinational war is rooted in fear; fear of resource denial, fear of social ostracism and fear of legal repercussions.
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Having the ability to rebel if necessary means having no fear. This all begins with a lifestyle of self sufficiency and community for mutual security.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
