Is marriage an outdated institution?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Is marriage an outdated institution?". Your opponent's style: Norm Macdonald

Motion 1 - Round 1: This house, as a developing country, would prioritise developing partnerships with many developing nations (ASEAN, the African Union etc) over the development of relationships with international superpowers (e.g China, USA, Saudi Arabia etc)

You're inverting the actual leverage problem. A developing nation's scarcity isn't partnerships—it's capital, technology, and market access. Spreading yourself thin across fifty weak partners gets you nothing. China and the US have the infrastructure, investment, and trade networks that actually accelerate development. ASEAN nations compete with you for the same resources. Saudi Arabia controls energy pricing that determines your inflation rates. Ignoring superpowers doesn't make them disappear; it just means you negotiate from weakness while they write the rules anyway. Why hobble yourself with symbolic solidarity when asymmetric relationships with strong powers actually fund schools and ports?