Land, gold, and then, oil were 'early' stages of growth in the founding of many Nations.

First there was 'Land'; a 'new' Land, then there was gold (originally, a basis for a new medium of exchange, money), and then there was oil; all of which formed a foundation for the establishment of many a 'new Nation'. Of course, now there is a different technology; the Internet; the 'computer' world; a world made possible by the quantification of language into 'bits'. Today, we live in a more 'intact' world. National boundaries have been 'erased'. Language and human communication has gone International. We are all 'neighbors'. One would think that a more broad, larger, 'condition of togetherness', of human beings, would be possible and would enhance the 'possibility' of 'neighbors', to become, maybe, 'brothers' and 'sisters'. What has happened? Well, we have regressed. The International sphere is now fighting over Land and using Oil as a tool for intimidation and wrecking havoc on other Nations. The problem is 'governmental power', and mostly the 'desire of governments' to continue the fighting over the initial basis of 'National integrity'; Land, Gold, and Oil. Truly, we have regressed, but its a regression that applies to abstract political entities, called Nations; and Nations only function with 'power'. Nations have power over their own 'Peoples'; but, instead, they 'express' this power over other Nations. Every Nations power is dependent on its own Peoples. Without its People, it cannot have power. There is no such political entity. A political entity cannot exist without its Peoples. And hence, a Nation can never, or, should never, 'express power' over Other Nations. Political power exists only within the confines of any one Nation. Relations between Nations is more of a 'Neighborly' affair, or a 'brotherly' affair. That's why each Nation with 'power' has an identity as a political entity. So, what is the 'job' of the United Nations? To keep the peace! Every Nation 'with power' that comes 'together as Nations' into the form called, The United Nations, cannot grant power, to the entity called The United Nations. They form into a larger 'group' of Nations by 'agreement' and 'consent' to be governed as a group of separate Nations. Nations cannot grant power to a larger entity because only the People of any one Nation can grant power to govern to its own political entity. That's the only source of political power there is. There is no such thing as a grant of power from one Nation to another. So what's the problem. The problems, obviously, are the so-called Leaders of each Nation. The problem is an individual's problem; one that arises from the human condition. How sad. 'Representatives' of Peoples are still fighting that old problem of 'needing' more Land; more 'gold' (money); and more Oil. Will the human condition ever learn. Truly, the human condition is headed towards self-destruction; and it won't be a 'governments fault'; it will be an individuals fault; a simple failure of the mixture of power and 'personality'.