US President Donald Trump has been setting ever-new records for arbitrary actions, only to break them himself. Many observers have wrung their hands in anguish at this apparent lack of rationality in the behavior of the most powerful individual in the world.
Seen another way, however, it may be a very rational choice for an increasingly desperate imperialism to have as its most visible face someone who can get away with shocking people one day by making a reckless statement and then shocking them even more the next day by saying something entirely different. This enables the deep state to inflict all sorts of arbitrary impositions on friend and foe alike in an effort to somehow salvage a sinking situation.
As long as imperialism appeared to be in reasonable control, it opted for using some kind of rules-based systems to further strengthen its grip and prolong its life—although the rules were invariably rigged in its favor. In the context of international trade, for instance, the shift from GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) to the WTO (World Trade Organization) was brought about through detailed and prolonged negotiations (such as the Uruguay Round). However, let there be no misconception about it—the entire exercise was ultimately aimed at expanding and strengthening imperialism’s grip. I still remember a cartoon from that time which vividly captured this reality. In it, a voracious eater representing the richest dominant countries is seen telling a protesting chicken representing the global South: “Your choice is not whether I’ll eat you or not, you can only decide with which sauce I’ll eat you.”
As became evident in several aspects of the Uruguay Round—relating to investment, services, patents, agriculture, and more—the richest dominant countries were largely able to change international trade rules and other systems in ways that further strengthened neo-colonial exploitation.
However, two constraints began to emerge for imperialism. One was that once rules-based systems were accepted, some concessions had to be made to the global South. Secondly, as some countries in the global South developed rapidly and gained more economic power, they could rework some of the rules in ways that served their own interests instead of just favoring the dominant powers.
Imperialism worsened the situation for itself in several ways. By misusing the exceptional advantage of the dollar, pandering excessively to the military-industrial complex, embarking on never-ending wars, and destabilizing crucial regions like the Middle East, it increased its own problems in suicidal ways—due in no small part to high levels of corruption at the top. Saner voices that could have advocated for a more enlightened form of capitalism were brutally silenced through acts such as the insider assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., and through the denial of democratic reforms that could have allowed alternative voices to emerge.
Due to such suicidal policies, the lifespan of US-led global capitalism—with Europe and Japan as key allies—was sharply curtailed. What had seemed like a secure dominance of over a century began to unravel in just about seven decades, if not sooner. Even at that stage, corrective actions might have salvaged the future. But, increasingly incapable of self-correction and addicted to aggressive, high-risk responses closely tied to the military-industrial complex, imperialism continued along a path that endangered not only others but itself as well.
This suicidal trajectory has now brought imperialism to a point of desperation, where it has lost faith in rules-based systems to secure its interests. In such a phase, imperialism is best served by a leader who openly violates established norms and is proud to build his reputation on this disregard. Thus, far from Donald Trump being an embarrassment as US President, there is a method to the madness. The deep state of imperialism finds such one-sided arbitrariness very useful for its ongoing game plans. Trump fits this role perfectly, as such strategies require someone at the top who can violate any rule, norm, or promise without hesitation—or who can negotiate and attack at the same time.
Imperialism finds this useful because it believes such arbitrary self-serving actions can save its sinking boat by forcing through trade, tariff, and other deals that serve US interests—deals that would be impossible to secure within the framework of rules-based systems, precedents, or diplomatic commitments. While this approach is based on a poor understanding of economics, it is intended to unleash disruptive forces that imperialism believes will ultimately benefit it—regardless of the serious harm done to others.
Of course, there is no certainty that imperialism will succeed. In fact, any gains it may score under this strategy will likely be short-lived. Over the longer term, the forces of imperialism are bound to suffer the loss of even the artificially created trust and credibility they had once managed to maintain.
Meanwhile, countries of the global South must do more than merely fend for themselves. They must forge greater unity in responding to increasingly arbitrary actions. The Non-Aligned Movement and other such international platforms must be revived and strengthened. Within each affected country, greater internal unity is needed. Collectively, these nations must speak with one voice against the arbitrary and unjust impositions of a Trump-led USA.
---
The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Saving Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, A Day in 2071 and When the Two Streams Met.
Comments