Likewise, once we lower our protections of our political, economic, and cultural values, entities competitive to those values will take as much advantages as possible. Hence, our need for a military, a border fence, and some economic reciprocity.

The 92 chemical elements are unevenly distributed around the earth. If you want a modern industrial economy locally it must trade globally.

BTW I love the ignorance of non-engineers when it comes to economics. They have no idea where their wolfram comes from or why it is needed. How about osmium? Or platinum? Do you realize that without platinum there would be gasoline shortages?

A modern industrial economy is a global economy.