What my continent have failed to realized is that power won't be given to you unless you fight for it.
right, so you need:
- Modern, well equipped, well trained army
- Diverse and free journalistic culture
- Diverse and free business culture
- Infrastructure to support all the above (communications, fortifications, transport etc)
- The army must defend all the above equally
If the army just defends the natural resources, then the people cannot act as the 2nd line of diffuse/distributed defense against those trying to interfere with and exploit the minerals. This is what made countries like Iceland, Switzerland and the US difficult to attack.
If you get the balance wrong, China, US, Britain or France will launch a propaganda campaign against you, then kick your ass in the ensuing war. Actually fighting for power is not easy.