Six-Chart Sunday – Research Is Power

6 Infographics + 1 Video (Mastermind in the Oval Office)

While the U.S. spends more each year on defense than any other nation (both in absolute dollars and purchasing power parity), recent global events suggest R&D investments may be even more important. Research is power. The world is amidst a new “revolution in military affairs” highlighting the criticality of emerging technologies to win wars & project force. America led in R&D for much of the 20^th century, but China is catching up quickly. Future global leadership turns on who proves best at marshaling the three key ingredients of innovation: People (education, immigration), Places (universities, labs, startups) and Processes (competitive markets, rule of law, access to capital).

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1. R&D is seed corn. Defense R&D investments have fueled critical innovations for decades, benefiting both national security and our economy.

2. America has led the world in R&D investments for a long time, but China is quickly catching up. Per the AAAS, “China is publishing more research, is applying for more patents, has more researchers and is accelerating efforts that fuel scientific discoveries, while the U.S. has plateaued or is decreasing efforts in many of those same areas.”

3. Immigration has powered innovation. America’s “secret sauce” for generations has been its capacity to attract and retain the world’s best and brightest – as students, researchers, founders, employees – with immigrants making outsized contributions to U.S. inventions, patents, start-ups and economic power. (NBER)

4. Market incentives work when allowed. Thanks to a robust venture capital ecosystem, reliable rule of law and competitive, open markets, U.S. tech companies have dominated much of 21^st century innovation. The U.S. remains home for the world’s most valuable tech startups.

5. Universities are critical players in the innovation ecosystem. As they have since WWII, America’s universities are actively developing a wide range of defense technologies, driven by both government funding and the entrepreneurial spirit of student-founded startups. Higher education is especially important to basic research.

6. Future global dominance depends on present-day choices. The battlefield of the future will be significantly shaped by advanced technologies, requiring substantial investment in people, places and processes that maximize innovation. (IMR)

VIDEO

What if the President that the world sees in public is just a false facade, entirely different from the true commander-in-chief behind closed doors?