Dec 292017
As we move into a New Year, here are some thoughts that stimulate my weak brain:
The ascendance of Mr Trump — added to the growing power of China — has changed the political atmosphere around the world. There is such a thing as a global mood and the signals coming from Washington and Beijing are disquieting. The Trump administration is sending the message that the US is no longer interested in making the case for democracy and clean government. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping’s China is increasingly confident in arguing for an authoritarian model that tolerates capitalism — but crushes civil society.
Gideon Rachman, Financial Times, December 29, 2017