Mission Statement

Geopolitical Futures understands the world through the rigorous application of geopolitics: the political, economic, military and geographic dimensions that are the foundation of nations. The imperatives and constraints contained in these define the nation. We study the past to understand the future. At its core geopolitics assumes, as does economics, that events are governed by these impersonal forces and not by individual whim or ideology. Geopolitical Futures is rigorously non-ideological. Our staff may have their personal beliefs, but they must check them at the door. Therefore, we strive to be objective and indifferent to the opinions swirling around the world. We believe that liberal democracy can survive only if there is a segment of society, which we call the learned public, who is not caught up in the passions of the moment, but is eager to look at the world as it is. It is this learned public that will influence the political system toward the prudence that flows from understanding, and whom we serve with the methods we have developed. Above all, Geopolitical Futures is an intellectual undertaking, an ongoing experiment in finding order in the apparent chaos of the world. We are a business that lives the life of the mind.

We are geopolitical. This means that we have a particular method for looking at the world. Geopolitics is both about how we look at the world and the philosophical grounding on which our method is based. It is above all else, systematic, defining what we write on and what we don't. All of our writing derives from this method.

We forecast: The fundamental reason for our writing is to use geopolitics to forecast what will happen next. This is not confined to our annual forecast but is integrated into all of our work. We understand the constraints and imperatives of the broad thrusts of the world, and the small movements of these thrusts. Everything we do touches on those things that will happen next, and leads back to the multiple layers of forecasts we have produced.

We use intelligence analysis as a method: Intelligence analysis focuses on discovering the small things that will define the future, but seem insignificant at this moment. Geopolitics defines the broad thrusts; intelligence analysis tracks its movements. The search for these small things is a fundamental part of our craft, and one basis of our daily writing.

No region can be understood without an understanding of the world. Geopolitics teaches that the global system is interconnected. Intelligence teaches that the connections are surprising. Geopolitics and Intelligence require constant global awareness and understanding. We may have some area specialists but the heart of our work is done by analysts immersed in geopolitics and intelligence.

We define what is important and what isn't. Our selection of interests derives from our method and not from the media or other common chatter. We present a different view of the world. Our challenge comes from which vital issues not to cover at any point.

We are unemotional and restrained. We reflect on the passions around us as an element of the geopolitical process. We do not participate in them.

We practice intellectual rectitude. We use the most neutral language possible and have the courage to state things we think are true based on our methods, regardless of public opinion. We are objective. While we all have political and moral beliefs, we check them at the door. In a world divided between factions, our task is to consider the factions, not to join them.

We are not the news. The news reflects what happens that day and focuses on personalities. We do not.

We are not policy advocates: Even as patriots of our countries our highest and best service is to our core methods and values. We focus on what will happen, and not about what we think should be done.

We write for the learned public: for those who want to understand the world they live in and are citizens of every country. We do not write for experts or professionals in the field of foreign policy or academics although we welcome them as readers, but for the public engaged in all walks of life. This impacts both our style and voice.