Faltering Multilateralism: Today, Let’s start with Trade
It would be hard to make this stuff up. When I was deep into trade policy issues in the late 80s and early 90’s before China’s accession to the WTO,…
Multilateralism: It is Just Largely Talk Now
While you will see that the main focus of this Substack is on multilateralism, and its current failure, I couldn’t let Trump’s disrespect for the President of South Africa, Cyril…
A Tribute to Joseph S. Nye Jr. and Multilateralism Threatened: The G20 in South Africa.
He passed on May 6th. He was a longstanding leader in international relations. So at 88 Joseph Nye, Joe to most in the international relations community, passed away. Joe was…
Is there Order? The Growing Confusion
As we’ve already pointed out in a previous Substack Post from Alan’s Newsletter, focusing on Trump’s dramatic tariffs, reveals a growing global order confusion. Do we have a continuing ‘great…
What is This? Trump and His Tariffs
With the 100 days now reached, and just passed by Trump and his second administration, there is a desperate search to uncover a logic and goal or goals in Trump’s…
G20 Collaborative Actions: With or Without the US
The common refrain by those examining the multilateral institutions and organizations seeking greater collaboration at the global level are: ‘legitimacy’ and ‘effectiveness’. Now the fact is these characteristics apply to…
Taming the ‘Bully and the Dragon’
It is hard to deal with a ‘Bully’. Usually efforts, even reasonable ones of accommodation only lead generally to further demands - just ask Columbia University. That was why I…
‘The Spiral of Disorder’ – Building then Destroying Trust – Let’s Continue
He knows what he’s doing? Sure! It’s a constant refrain from the Trump administration and the advisors and supporters. Don’t believe it! Trump operates through emotional responses to incoming news.…
‘The Spiral of Disorder’ – Building then Destroying Trust – Let’s Start with Tariffs
It is mind-boggling to watch this second term of Trump, or Trump 2.0. First the flood of ‘executive orders’, though apparently they are technically not really ‘orders’. And now the…
‘Killing the Golden Goose’ – Integration in the Global Economy
Originally, I started this piece lamenting the ‘failed’ effort to bring China into the global economy following the failure by the CCP - the Party, and the Chinese government to…