There’s a Reason the World Is a Mess, and It’s Not Trump
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/opinion/trump-tariffs-global-economy.html
Aaron Benanav:
There are many explanations for this sorry state of affairs. Some see rapid social change, especially around migration and gender identity, fueling a cultural backlash. Others argue that elites flubbed their pandemic responses or have grown detached from their populations, driving a surge in anti-establishment sentiment and support for strongmen. Another argument holds that algorithm-driven social media has made it easier for misinformation and conspiracy theories to spread, giving rise to greater volatility.
There’s something to each of these theories, to be sure. But there is a deeper force underlying today’s disarray: economic stagnation. The world is experiencing a long-term slowdown in growth rates that began in the 1970s, worsened after the 2008 global financial crisis and shows no sign of improving. Stuck with low growth, waning productivity and an aging work force, the world economy is in a rut. This shared economic predicament lies behind the political and social conflicts the world over.
My related takes:
Is the Trump administration fighting the wrong economic battle?
https://thehill.com/opinion/5151848-generative-ai-economic-concerns/
Are we worried about the wrong demographic problem?
https://thehill.com/opinion/4954154-falling-birth-rates-global-economy/
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/opinion/trump-tariffs-global-economy.html
Aaron Benanav:
There are many explanations for this sorry state of affairs. Some see rapid social change, especially around migration and gender identity, fueling a cultural backlash. Others argue that elites flubbed their pandemic responses or have grown detached from their populations, driving a surge in anti-establishment sentiment and support for strongmen. Another argument holds that algorithm-driven social media has made it easier for misinformation and conspiracy theories to spread, giving rise to greater volatility.
There’s something to each of these theories, to be sure. But there is a deeper force underlying today’s disarray: economic stagnation. The world is experiencing a long-term slowdown in growth rates that began in the 1970s, worsened after the 2008 global financial crisis and shows no sign of improving. Stuck with low growth, waning productivity and an aging work force, the world economy is in a rut. This shared economic predicament lies behind the political and social conflicts the world over.
Is the Trump administration fighting the wrong economic battle?
https://thehill.com/opinion/5151848-generative-ai-economic-concerns/
Are we worried about the wrong demographic problem?
https://thehill.com/opinion/4954154-falling-birth-rates-global-economy/