Current Events

In the modern era of increasingly globalized trade and economic exchange, the idea of protectionism, i.e. implementing measures like tariffs to restrict imports in an attempt to protect domestic industries, is rarely on the table. This is because nowadays, the benefits of having an economy that is open to international exchange is seen as far greater than any cost otherwise incurred. Nonetheless, with his recent “Liberation Day” announcement on April 2nd, Trump has vowed to go against conventional economic wisdom by implementing tariffs on a variety of countries, and especially high tariffs on certain countries, like China (Buchwald, 2025). However, despite Trump’s claims that this will revitalize American manufacturing moving forward, economists remain dubious. In order for us to understand why this is the case, we need to analyze the economic principles underlying Trump’s tariff announcement.

Based on the concepts of comparative and absolute advantage, first developed by economists Adam…

Listening to the Trump administration talk about their policy ideas is a little bit like listening to someone with a serious inferiority complex. The number of times the idea comes up that America is “being cheated” or that other countries are “taking advantage” of America is far too high coming from the most powerful nation in the world. It’s true that America often has had to bear a heavy burden, financially or otherwise, in the many crises and problems that face the world. However, as the most powerful and influential nation for the past century, this comes with the territory. What the Trump administration seems to misunderstand is that increased responsibility accompanies increased power and influence. You can’t have one without the other. If Trump and his colleagues don’t want to have that responsibility anymore, that’s fine. Just don’t expect the United States’ position as leader of the world to…

“The Chinese Are Coming” was once the title of a BBC special aired in the early 2010s on the spread of Chinese culture and influence across the world. Specifically, the show discussed the impact of the Chinese diaspora on different communities, providing an in depth look at the spread of Chinese culture and language. Now, in 2025, some fifteen years later, a similar show could be made about the rise of China to political prominence. However, this time, a better title might be “The Chinese Have Arrived.” Indeed, China has now arrived on the world mainstage as a major political power, and with the United States government disintegrating into a dumpster fire led by a conglomerate of criminals, it will face little opposition as it rises to become the most powerful nation in the world.

China has achieved significant economic growth since the late 20th century, elevating to become the…

Following Russia’s invasion, the war in Ukraine has been ongoing for almost three years, with both sides suffering heavy losses. During this time, the U.S government has been one of Ukraine’s main supporters, providing extensive funding and weaponry to aid in the country’s defense. However, with the administration now changing hands, Russia sees an opportunity to seize a decisive advantage, both in its goal to capture Ukraine and in its broader ambitions to undermine Western hegemony internationally.

Currently, the Ukraine war remains at a relative stalemate, with both sides exchanging small territorial gains and losses over the past several months. However, with the arrival of the Trump administration, and continued financial support for Ukraine now in doubt, it’s very likely that this could change in the imminent future. Trump has recently claimed that the war is “destroying Russia” from within and that Putin needs to seek a deal to end…