What is going on with Trump's view of the world? He wants to stop supporting Ukraine, is very iffy on NATO, hasn't said much about Taiwan, but wants to flex on Mexico, Canada, Panama? What's up?
I can't review all the different ways of organizing the world – not my area of expertise – but clearly we have had empires (Rome, China, British), and we have had configurations of independent states with balanced power(Europe after the Council of Vienna). We've had a system of international laws that recognize countries' boundaries and strive not to interfere internally in their affairs (never really respected). We've had a dual-centric world – USSR vs. USA in the Cold War. We've had systems where armed interventions are supposed to be abjured – post WW I. And so on. Some would say the world has always been organized by strict power, and ideas to stop war and rule by recognized rights is most a modern attempt. But as I say, it's not my field.
So, as far as I've been alive, the world has been dominated by the thought that we should have a universally recognized system of laws and avoid wars. At least, that's what I've seen. Now we have challenges to that, as the Chinese seem to say that this so-called system of rights and respect is hypocritical, and just hides the continuation of the long era of Western domination. And now, it seems, we have a new view, probably a view that would be called “realist,” from Trump.
That view seems to be this: We know that Trump has fancied himself a realist of the thuggery of the world. He has idolized gangsters. He thinks it realistic to understand that countries kill people, they just hide it. The states are all hypocritical, Trump thinks, they say one thing and do something else. The words are on the surface, but it's something else beneath.
He liked to hang out at construction sites at his father's buildings. The working class sees power and people being compelled, not cajoled and persuaded. He himself likes to bully. A lot. So, I think he sees the natural order of the world being based on power and ruthlessness. That would mean that strong states bully weak states, especially nearby ones. This leads to a multi-centric world where regional powers dominate their neighborhood. This is an ancient situation, where transportation and communication was none, or months, or years. In those days a regional power would think of themselves as a world power, because their worlds were small. Nowadays, we know better than to think ourselves isolated, but with the threat of nukes keeping world powers at a distance and enforcing limits, no one should really aspire to world domination, but they can aspire to regional domination.
Who is this reminiscent of? Well, that was the world Hitler envisioned. Let the Japanese dominate the East, let the USA dominate the Americas, and let Germany dominate Europe. Hitler couldn't see why others didn't agree. That's also – relevant to Trump – the view of the Mafia. Let one group dominate Buffalo and don't bother them, cooperate when possible. We keep Brooklyn and Queens, let others have New Jersey. We can compete in new areas, like Las Vegas, but we won't threaten the home territories of the other families. And in both these cases, Hitler and the mafia, force is the dominant influence.
So that's the way Trump sees the international organization. That's why he thought Putin's invasion of Ukraine was brilliant. He surely understands Xi's determination to take Taiwan, with Hong Kong already digested. He thinks it's just weak for the US to allow nearby weaker states to be independent – why don't we dominate them the way the USSR dominated Eastern Europe? It's our right, because we're strong. Mutual respect of borders and sovereignty is stupid and weak, to Trump's understanding.
And what do the leaders of these blocs do? They make sure they get themselves rich. Putin is reportedly the richest man in the world. I hear that he has a deal with each oligarch that he, Putin, personally, has a 50% interest in each of their enterprises. That's why Trump idolizes him. Of course! He's the strongest and that's what he deserves. He's due it. That's exactly what Trump thinks he's due. It's the way of the world, the true order, not this made up stuff about mutual respect and ideals. Realism.
So, no mystery. We don't interfere with the way other dominant states rule their area, and we don't care what they do. Human Rights? Gimme a break. That's made up stuff by the Sunday School crowd. Me, I'm a realist, Donald the Realist. He was the strongest in his family and he dominated them, he was the strongest in the Republican field, and now he's the strongest in the country. Don't give me that stuff about right and wrong.
For starters, Donald no doubt wants a 50% personal interest in the Panama Canal, and a 50% interest in each Canadian energy company.
Why not?
Budd Shenkin
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