Donald J. Trump, the Chief Transactionalist President of the United States does not believe in relationships. I’m not surprised. He’s not good at it. Trump believes that he can get a ‘deal’ irrespective of the costs to the interests of the other party or parties.
Trump, a truly ignorant man, has no sense of history, and less knowledge of it. It would behoove him to spend some time refreshing the tiny number of synapses that seem to be connected to each other, to do so.
In June of 1930 two Senators of the United States proposed what became known as the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. It “raised import duties to protect American businesses and farmers, adding considerable strain to the international economic climate of the Great Depression.” (See citation below)
And in 1922, the U.S. Congress had previously enacted the Fordney-McCumber Act, which was “among the most punitive protectionist tariffs passed in the country’s history, raising the average import tax to some 40%. Retaliation followed, and in return Herbert Hoover promised to further increase tariffs.
The stock market crash of 1929, led to even greater protectionism, leading to Smoot-Hawley and a subsequent loss of confidence on Wall Street. American isolationism was in full swing. Again, Europe retaliated and between 1929 and 1932 trade with Europe fell by two-thirds, with overall global trade further declining for the next four years.
Historians and economists believe that “by deepening the Great Depression, (America) may have contributed to the rise of political extremism, enabling leaders such as Adolf Hitler to increase their political strength and gain power.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/Smoot-Hawley-Tariff-Act
So here we are almost a hundred years later, with a President who believes in creating the same circumstances that led to WWII, but without any of the foreign relations and foreign affairs acumen or knowledge of how his actions mirror those circumstances. Worse, Europe already has a war in Ukraine and an international European financial situation in free fall.
On top of that, right-wing extremism in both the U.S. and across Europe is at its greatest height since the 1930’s. Almost every government in Europe, mirrors, but to a lesser degree, the problems faced with the rise in fascism, polarization and the growth in undemocratic movements, like those near explosion within the United States.
It will take very little to send all of us into a maelstrom of extremist violence, oppression and acts of aggression. America is in the process of doing just that. Mass deportations and the rounding up of undocumented immigrants in the United States may be the tipping point, both economically and socially that lights the fuse in America.
Trump’s arrogance and ignorance will combine to bring about protectionism throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico, and China, most certainly, as their options are limited by the irrationality of Trump’s actions.
When one considers how today’s U.S. policy differs, it’s obvious that America is willfully damaging the relationships that have enabled the western world to resist protectionism and promote free trade. Worse, America is now threatening its neighbours, not just with tariffs, but suggesting that it might use military force to succeed in its colonial agenda.
What it is leading to is instability, protectionism, isolationism and a rapid escalation in military spending and defence spending. The focus of defence spending from some western nations is in direct response to the threat perceived by the United States itself.
The second effect of Trump’s actions is to damage the international relationship between western nations, particularly in the relationship that each has towards America. The defence of Europe against aggression from the former Soviet Union, and now Russia, has been, for the most part successful. However, with Russia seeking to re-enact the Soviet Union, in essence, by invading Ukraine, Trump is using the war as leverage to impose demands on NATO members.
The art-of-the-steal, doesn’t work in respect to international relationships between western countries, but Trump is convinced that he can use coercion and threats to gain his ends. He is dead wrong.
What it will do, is cause a realignment, away from America and create new organizations and collectives of interest that eschew America and its demands. And while the costs of non-compliance will be significant on nations like Canada, Mexico, and China, — it may well prove in time to be the downfall of the United States, which while at the moment riding an economic high, could quickly lead to recession and even depression.
The U.S. is depending on its military might to impel other nations to action. The reality is that a military buildup in Europe, and the creation of a new European Defence force, without America, may well lead America down a path that ultimately results in America solely having to defend its interests against China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
Not to mention that threats lead to other nations reforming alliances in response that transition into unexpected consequences and actions by nations that suit their national agendas, and not America’s interests.
Ignorance and arrogance will lead America to exist in a world without friends or allies. They are doing everything possible at the moment to make that a reality.
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