Monday, August 24, 2026
Modernity Rocks
If you haven’t thought much about Vietnam since the Vietnam War (or being too young for those memories, perhaps have never thought much about Vietnam at all) you might not be aware that Vietnam has become an economic powerhouse. It has 100 million people—more than Germany, France or Great Britain—and a booming economy. In fact, Vietnam now enjoys a larger trade surplus with the United States than any other country.
What has powered this extraordinary economic renaissance? Coal. Vietnam burns immense quantities of coal. Worldwide, there is more coal being burned today than at any time in world history. Many Americans are proud of having improved the environment, or the climate, or something, by drastically cutting down on our own consumption of coal, but all we have really done is export coal burning to countries in Southeast Asia.
