Attaining the Throne: Ruthless

Disclaimer: This article contains satirical elements for the purpose of entertainment.

Part 1

Step 4: Protect Your Industries

Currently your nation is economically stable, with one core financial source. However, rising up further into a superpower will cause you to encounter resistance along the way -- a lot of it.

When the top economic powers feel threatened, they will put tariffs, limitations, and whatever bad things they can find about your core economical resource in order to slow or end your growth as a nation. In addition, they will attack you in various forms, ethically, socially, and physically. They can use the media to create an ingrained mindset about how your nation is unstable and inherently evil, and also instigate riots.

This is partially what the US had done to Japan in the 1990s, when they felt that Japan, as a rapidly booming economy, threatened the US's world position. They "attacked" Japan's reputation, and rallied American hate so they could boycott Japanese goods, this caused a general slump in the economy of Japan (shown below). From this, we can learn that having a robust economy with many sources of income all over the world is necessary for you to challenge the number 1 on the world stage.

[insert lost decade of japan graph]

“He [the president] expressed these convictions 30 years ago in a full-page ad in the Washington Post and the New York Times, criticising Japan for “taking advantage of the United States” because the United States was obligated to defend Japan “for free” while Japan “managed to maintain a weak yen against a strong dollar.” -- The Politician

A website, “The Politician", describes how the US government used their power to stop Japan from gaining ground.

No matter how peaceful you have been, no matter how much you have done for the world, no matter how well your society is functioning, the current nation on top will find a way to berate you and inspire international hate. Your exports will be boycotted, it’s just a matter of when, so you must prepare for this by strengthening your internal economy, and lessening the reliance your businesses have on other countries. It is highly recommended to encourage domestic companies to develop new technologies, and incentivize them especially if they are going overseas, as this will actually cause the markets of other countries to rely on you. Below is a step-by-step guide on how this may be done.

Step 1: First, of course, we need to spread some propaganda. Tell your citizens about how they will be heroes of the state if they founded companies. Of course, don't tell them that most of them are bound to fail. Also, remember to open a state funding program, and strongly advertise that.

Once there is a substantial amount of thriving businesses, begin to hand out certain projects, like developing an effective and safe plane engine, or creating a high-tech chip for electronic devices. Create a bounty for these projects, which will cause the companies to race each other, and in that process, produce high-tech material which you will need.

Step 2: When your industries first begin to grow, especially technology, the businesses of other countries will flock to your nation, trying to wipe out your "rookie" establishments. Since they are multinational companies, they have money, and they are aiming to establish monopoly in your country. And before you know it, they will lower their prices to extremes, much lower than your just-established companies can afford, therefore, without regulation, they can completely vindicate what your hard working entrepreneurs have built.

This will mean that when you need certain technologies, such as, say a supercomputer for your high-tech military processor, you need to buy it from other countries. And if their governments don't want you to make a weapon like that, they can just prohibit your transaction. Therefore, if you let other companies take over, your entire nation is essentially crippled. What you have to do is tax the other international companies, therefore making their prices high, and lessening your people's interest in them. Also, you could rally the battle spirit of your nation, and tell them that buying the other country's products is aiding their evil development. As long as you can grow your nation’s companies, anything will suffice.

Step 3: When some of your companies are considering going worldwide, incentivise them. Help them obtain land, and probably a base in other countries, and give them express passage. By doing this, you are establishing an inflow of cash from other countries. How?

Well, when a company officially based in your country goes and establishes a branch in the UK, for example, people will likely consume your products there. When they do so, they are spending money, which flows into the company. Of course, there is income tax, but remember this: that income tax money will go to your government. This means that you are essentially taking from the money pool of other countries, and believe it or not, but governments do it all the time. Anyways, the main idea here is that you can establish multiple inflows from various countries.

Essentially, it all boils down to this: Raise your domestic economic development to make technological development possible, bolster your influence to the outside world to build economic prowess. Don't rely too heavily on other nations, but make them rely on you.

If this is achieved, you will secure a place as one of the economic giants of the world.

Step 5: Establish Allies

Since your nation already has economic power, other nations will have a tendency to support/get into good relations with you. Use this to obtain allies, note that you should only do so with nations who you have more leverage over than them you. Now, you may ask: Who should I ally with? Focus on those who have certain important natural resources. For example, if your country lacks oil, find a weak/underdeveloped (military/economy) country in the middle east which you can control, or if you have a resource that must be obtained through trade, find a way to bypass certain ports (which your future enemies might have a grasp over).

In addition to that, establish a friendliness and positive impact over your surrounding nations, this will lead them to be more likely to support and trust you. This will be crucial in the times to come. Also, if possible, create an actual alliance with them, you want a good hold on your surrounding nations. Don't forget, however, to be on good terms with the many countries of Europe, because they actually can wield a lot of power. It is best to gain a foothold on all the continents. All of these will secure you a vote in the UN, where you may make certain proposals that favour you.

Step 6: Cement the Military

This step will no doubt meet a lot of resistance, from both pacifists in your country and external forces who do not want you to become a threat. So we need to mitigate them in two separate steps.

To eliminate inner resistance: We must utilise some propaganda. Illustrate how our mortal enemies, the [Insert whichever people you chose], are stronger than ever, and have begun to pose a threat. So, we must prepare ourselves. By evoking the fear in your people's hearts, you can get more people to participate in the army, whether as soldiers, technicians, or strategists. Also, they will likely be more willing to pay taxes to support the army-boosting effort. Those who are actively against the military cause could and would be branded as “spies” “traitors” and “weaklings”.

To stop outer resistance: We will use some things we have created before. Remember how we made international relations before? We can use that now. First, we begin using the trust we established earlier, to try and convince them we are not a threat. Second, if that doesn't work, show off your international relations, basically telling them, “If you don't sell us this, others will.” Third, if that still doesn't work, we call in our leverage, which we have been careful to create.

Anyways, with this, we can create a formidable military. On the ground, we need to be able to fend off incoming air raids, ships, and tanks, meaning that we will have to make short-range, high precision missiles, a competent radar system, and tanks + military vehicles of our own. This will ensure that this nation can protect itself. Also, long-range missiles capable of shooting to the other side of the globe are also needed in order to pose a threat to the world. This is already a strong military, however, to become a superpower, we need more than that.