ABSTRACT
This chapter unravels the relationship between geography and political power, which is based on force: 'power through might'. It introduces the philosophy of power through might, which traces the thought which culminated in German geopolitical ideas and ultimately in Hitler's doctrine of territory. The chapter links philosophy to action through the philosophy of assertion applied to individuals and groups. It illustrates the importance of the empty Amazon Triangle to Ecuador and Peru which have twice been to war over it. The chapter explains the current debate between socialists and neo-conservatives about the domination by an elite group. It shows that individual aggression and group aggression have obvious consequences in battle: the Western Front in the First World War looks at methods of gaining territory in battle. The chapter shows that the assertion of power by the simple use of superior strength is a complex phenomenon rooted in a long history of philosophy and requiring a deep understanding of human psychology.
