Unlike 20th century when a nation's power was determined by the nation's capability of national defense, we are now living in the times in which economic power determines national power. While earth's natural resources are limited, world population is still growing and more resources are in demand as economic activities of each country are increasing and growing. As competition among major consuming countries for limited resources is getting intense, countries with resources try to enhance their influence and power in the global market. Therefore resource development projects by consuming countries add more intensity to the competition due to their national strategic approach beyond mere commercial or economic capability.
Natural resource supply/demand in the 20th century was closely linked not only to establishing military power but also to industry development. As supply/demand route to secure resources extended further overseas, powerful countries recognized the importance of military power to secure points of strategic importance in the world. Powerful countries started to take resources from relatively weak countries, which started nationalism, followed by independence of the countries. The public resisted economic plundering and advocated permanent sovereignty and right for autonomous use for the nation's natural resources.
Resource nationalism in the 20th century was mainly for political purpose. Resource nationalism at that time took rather aggressive forms including seizure of foreign oil company properties, forced nationalization and discontinuation of oil export with emphasis on political ideology such as national independence and autonomy to cease colonization and imperialism of powerful countries , which resulted in a huge shrink of the world economy.
Energy security is rising as one of the major propositions in the global society in the 21st century. Military superiority in chaotic period of the 20th century was the key to be the top of the world; however, energy is the powerful key in the 21st century since it requires constant supply for healthy economy.
Resource nationalism of the 21st century is characterized by intermixture of economic and political purposes. In terms of economic purposes, oil-producing countries seek benefits to their own countries. This is obviously an opposition to major companies in the world that try to plunder their resources but more emphasis is on securing their revenue sources that are required for social expenditure and economic growth.
In the 21st century, a country's goal cannot be simplified as growth of national power and more values including political independence, national defense and economic prosperity were added to the goal; natural resource supply/demand issue is also considered in the context of economic power and trade, rather than military power, to secure resources and enhance national power. Another aspect is extension of political influence of countries of resources in the global society. Russia is using resource nationalism for its political purposes. There are also cases when economic and political purposes are hardly distinguishable.
Security environment in the 21st century is unpredictable to take proper countermeasures, complex and fast-changing. There are still many questions unanswered on whether resource issue is considered on the level of national security in current situation of high oil price, raw material price rise and weakening national competitive power.