If I were to pick one word that characterizes today's world and will increasingly characterize the world just ahead, I would use the word "'imbalance." There is raw material scarcity in many areas, raw material surplus in others. There is enormousper capita consumption in some countries, very little in others. There is an abundance of technological capacity in a few countries, a virtual absence in most others. There is great wealth in some countries, gross poverty in others. There is capital accumulation in some countries, capital shortage in others.

The mix of this imbalance is also significant. We can no longer easily refer to "have" and "have not" nations. The USA has food, large but insufficient amounts of capital, highly advanced technology, but little or no tin, nickel, chrome, platinum, zinc (not to mention less than the oil it wishes).