By Soumya Ghosh
Is it better for a man to have chosen evil than to have good imposed on him?, contemplated Anthony Burgess in his dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange. The chasm between the concepts of good and evil have long been deliberated upon by philosophers and academicians alike. This dichotomy of sorts has now been propelled to the forefront of discussion as Donald Trump assumes the mantle of leadership. Critics allege that an aura of darkness emanates from a foreign policy based on the principles of America First.
Trumps contrasting world view
For President Trump, this can only be farther from the truth. In his parochial view of America, America is but a land of “dusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across its landscape as he said in his inaugural address as the 45th President of the United States.
This pessimistic view of America struck a chord with the millions of non-college educated white working class voters who so enthusiastically backed his candidacy and catapulted him to his apotheosis.
But at the same time, it was a stark contrast to the optimism that former President Barack Obama espoused when he entered office, back in 2009.
This jarring imagination of America was only reinforced when candidate Trump visited the now-closed factories scattered across the Rust Belt states of Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. In Trumps view, this was a direct result of NAFTA and its trade negotiators who were so easily deceived by those on the opposing side of the negotiating table. Thus, borne out of this inexorable reality of declining manufacturing jobs was the birth of the notion of transactional foreign policy.
Trump’s ‘America First’ message | Picture Courtesy – The AtlanticThe end of Pax Americana?
[su_pullquote align=”right”]A foreign policy based on transactions is modeled exactly like how a business works, but interestingly enough, is a strong divergence from a value-based foreign policy which Trumps predecessors so vigorously tried to establish across the world.[/su_pullquote]
A foreign policy based on transactions is modeled exactly like how a business works, but interestingly enough, is a strong divergence from a value-based foreign policy which Trumps predecessors so vigorously tried to establish across the world. This radical reorientation of foreign policy engineered by Trump, by referring to NATO as obsolete, promoting trade protectionism and departing from a value-based foreign policy can also indicate the slow demise of Pax Americana the period of relative peace that exists in the Western Hemisphere, post the Second World War. Take for instance the Brexit vote, which Trump so fervently backed not necessarily because it advanced the interests of the United States, but rather in his view was a vote where the little people rose up against the elites dwelling in Brussels.
What he quite evidently forgot in this process is that a disunited Europe would only harm American interests as an expansionist Russia encroaches on Eastern Ukraine and reasserts itself in Eastern Europe, which needless to say run antithetical to the core interests of the United States.
Chinas power play in the Asia-Pacific
Trump pursues his foreign policy based on the ideals of trade protectionism as he recently reinforcing that by signing an executive order withdrawing the United States from the 12-nation Transpacific Trade Partnership Agreement (TTPA) and fulfilling one of his cornerstone campaign pledges. But the lack of foresight of this hasty move led to a strategic breach in the America’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
TTPA was in essence, a trade agreement to contain the economic influence of China in the Asia-Pacific. America’s withdrawal from TTPA will definitely allow China to explore avenues to exploit this and thrust their geopolitical ambitions by pushing forward the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership a proposed free-trade agreement which includes the ASEAN member states along with countries which with they have existing FTAs (India, New Zealand, Australia), China and excludes the United States. China can therefore quite effectively fill in this power vacuum and become an indispensable economic power in the Asia-Pacific.
As the Presidency of Trump marks a seismic shift in American foreign policy, it should be noted that President Xi Jinping of China became the unlikely champion of Globalism at the World Economic Summit at Davos. This cynical move also heralds a new era of international relations.
The unipolarity which has existed since the end of the Cold War is now being challenged by emerging powers who want to fill in this inevitable power vacuum in an increasingly multipolar world.
President Xi Jinping of China became the unlikely champion of Globalism at the World Economic Summit at Davos | Picture Courtesy – ReutersDiversity in the establishment
Interestingly enough, Trumps foreign policy team includes individuals belonging to three distinct ideological convictions: the America Firsters led by his National Security Advisor General Flynn and Secretary of State designate Rex Tillerson, the neoconservatives led by the CIA director Mike Pompeo and the US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and lastly the religious traditionalists led by his Vice President Mike Pence. This inherent contradiction of ideologies was on full display during the Senate hearing committees with some people going as far as contradicting their own boss. Proponents of this policy, however, argue that this lack of coherence in fact provides space for a climate of unpredictability which is quintessential while tackling strategic threats.
[su_pullquote]As internationalism recedes from the forefront of American foreign policy, the echo of isolationist nationalism succeeds it.[/su_pullquote]
As internationalism recedes from the forefront of American foreign policy, the echo of isolationist nationalism succeeds it. Moreover, as President Trump cozies up to a resurgent Russia, becomes more belligerent towards China and tries to renegotiate the institutions that hold together the liberal international order set up after the Second World War, there is undeniably an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty shrouding the minds of policy makers from countries across the world.
But well, for now, the world can only play the waiting game and have a dose of Kellyanne Conway inspired alternative facts.