End of the American century: New possibilities for growing Asia

Let me admit. It was Arnie, which is said to have created a sentence; “Don’t let any crisis go to waste”. I always thought it was keen and even fun. But 50 % of Trump’s tariffs on Indian exports to the United States will only strengthen India. The key is not to let the tariff crisis waste.

The use of tariffs as political whips is just one indicator of an American decline. The world has witnessed that there is nothing less than a collective loss of confidence in the American form of government, its main institution and the legal framework that combines its complex democratic geometry together.

The erosion of confidence in America can prove well its weakest connection that dissolves the links of tested global friendships, demolish the architecture of American supported international institutions, and poorly disrupts the soft power. The process of the American decline began. It’s all, but impossible to reverse.

The American White House today can be charged with many things. The excess of originality is not one of them.

The tariffs and quotas combined with piracy, armed robbery, kidnapping and slavery are painfully known in the former colonies of Asia, South America and Africa. As in the days of colonial expansion, tariffs and non-tariff barriers came as one unwelcome cruel package. Ground quotes for growing indigo in India, opium wars in China, opening Japanese trading ports after Captain Perry’s bombing in Osaca, tied up workers from India on the lay railway line in Burma and Malaya, the slave -powered sugar plantations in Brazil and cotton in the American southern approach.

Lessons are firmly printed in the minds of people from colonized Asia. The only effective reaction to the reworking of mercantilism in modern clothing is not for them to recall some of the supposed sins. It should stand on a modern day would be Napoleon: dreams of colonial expansion in neighboring Canada, Greenland and Panama. This is the reality of the 21st century. The US under Trump II. It is tragic, but historically known.; Croachable but predictable. It is dangerous, but not strategic. The desired and effective reaction is not to play A LA Trump. 21st century is not 16 .. The world has changed. The Trumpian attack can be resisted and overcome. We cannot afford to lose this crisis.

Domestic reactions to American tariffs: China, India and Indonesia

Trump encouraged public opinion against America more than any other leader in modern times. This is shown to break long -term alliances with Europe, Latin America and especially in Asia. As expected, this has led to a designated search for alternative export markets, as well as to use monetary and fiscal policies to increase consumption in the domestic markets.

The search for self -confidence and reduced dependence on the US begins with the supply of basic basic goods. Food and medical security is another part of the same intended reaction. Mutual learning about the production, storage, distribution and food prices on an almost universal scale shows the determination of the spirit of independence. Cooperation in medical research, production of key vaccines and supplements, establishment of a medical reserve in parallel with food reserve is all steps in the same direction.

That’s not all. Concerns for human and physical security are accompanied by rejection on the side of the madness of Trump’s neglect and reversing politicians, obligations and financing in climate trailer. India, China and Indonesia have committed to reducing carbon emissions and pure zero policies. China has already drew the world with its exceptional record of electric vehicles and progress in solar energy.

The defense is aimed at a significant planned increase in defense spending on any US military umbrella, especially in Japan and Korea. The same is likely to apply to India and Indonesia.

In the areas of human capital: research in the field of digital, industrial/material technology, bio-technology and genetic engineering and global pandemic management; Survey of space and artificial intelligence; In transport methods, biometric verification and cyber security, they illustrate the dynamics and anticipation of Asian experts. The short -sighted intervention against student visas and accepting at the US University of Ivy League is likely to prove the blessing, the dividend of Trump, if you want, to China, India and Indonesia.

In addition, the main countries of Asia are characterized by a high level of savings, a solidarity of the family that appreciates education and intergenerational transfers of income and wealth. This is in sharp contrast to the credit card, dependent on debt, and Advanced West, especially the United States. Lack of American chewing rubber, mobile phones, Hollywood films, communication applications and financial services is unlikely that Asian consumers would prove unbearable burden.

Then there is the so -called “Mighty Dollar”. Open spitting between the White House and the American Fed is not good for one of the two famous attributes of the US dollar. If the Fed is brought to healing, trust in the dollar under lively Trump will decrease significantly. A local currency trade for a number of basic goods can become a serious possibility.

Overall, the Great Asian countries, along with some of the most sources of the rich nations of Globe: Russia, Brazil, South Africa, with the support of at least the share of countries in the developed world, have many tools that resist the attack of Trump tariffs.

Despite all speech, jokes, deliberate body language, the United States in the White House were not without an enfant. The silver lining is that it released the global re -evaluation of drivers of the upcoming multipolar world. In its efforts to make America great, only the rest of the world has only been much larger.

The contributor is Executive Director, Arthashastra Institute, Indonesia