With Donald Trump back in office, the U.S. faces new challenges that could significantly alter its trajectory. One of the most striking policy shifts of his return is the projected implementation of sweeping tariffs on international imports, the familiar " put America first ." These tariffs are sending shockwaves.
Changes in the supply chain will mean changes to the international division of labour, with new forms of power over the organization of labour and the deployment of technologies. It will also mean new sets of environmental issues, both in territories newly involved in a techno-sphere of influence and within places where old hub and spoke industrial relationships will be renewed.
Consumer confidence is a key element in national economies. That confidence is itself part of a complex chain that involves politics, diplomacy, media coverage, labour relations, investment decisions, and environmental impact, among other things. To help ensure our confidence - or lack thereof - is well-founded, we need citizen information and empowerment to push politicians and corporations to act in the public interest.
Ultimately, Trump’s proposed tariffs represent a new chapter in the relationship between their government policy and Americans, and like so much Trump does, it is all about him.
William Perry
Victoria, BC
