Donald Trump's Policies Constitute a Threat to Our Social Fabric.
His national and international strategies – ranging from the attempted coup in the past to latest actions and threats – erode both national and global law. But that’s not all.
These actions jeopardize the core idea of a civilized world.
A guiding principle of a functioning society is to prevent the stronger from harming and taking advantage of the vulnerable. Failing that, we could find ourselves locked in a conflict of all against all where only the fittest could survive.
This ideal is embedded of the Declaration and Constitution. It’s also the heart of the modern framework of international relations championed by the United States, built on multilateralism, democratic governance, fundamental freedoms, and the supremacy of law.
However, it is a fragile construct, frequently ignored by those who seek to abuse their power. Preserving it necessitates that the those in charge have the moral fortitude to refrain from seeking short-term wins, and that the public hold them accountable should they falter.
Unchecked strength does not make right. It results in uncertainty, upheaval, and conflict.
Whenever entities that are wealthier and stronger attack and exploit those that are weaker, the fabric of society weakens. If these actions are allowed to continue, the system fails. Allowing it to persist, the world can descend into instability and violence. History provides ample precedent.
Our current reality is a society and world marked by extreme inequality. Political and economic power are held by fewer hands than ever before. This encourages the powerful to take advantage of the disadvantaged because they perceive themselves as omnipotent.
The wealth of a handful of billionaires is difficult to fathom. The reach of major corporations in technology, energy, and aerospace spans a vast portion of the world. Artificial intelligence is likely to further concentrate wealth and power to a greater degree. The destructive power of the leading countries is unmatched in the annals of time.
Empowered by complicit legislators and an accommodating high court, the executive office has been made into the most dominant and unchecked agent of the state in recent memory.
Consider this confluence and you grasp the threat.
An unbroken thread connects previous breaches of norms to present-day menaces. These were based on the arrogance of omnipotence.
There is a similar pattern in international affairs: in territorial invasions, in strategic threats, and in the global depredation by powerful corporate entities.
But, unfettered might does not establish right. It makes for instability, upended order, and armed conflict.
The lessons of the past reveal that rules and conventions to limit the powerful also safeguard them. Absent these limits, their endless appetite for more power and wealth in time lead to their downfall – along with their enterprises, countries, or domains. And risk world war.
This blatant lawlessness will haunt international stability – and the very idea of civilized conduct – for the foreseeable future.