Trump's Policies Constitute a Threat to Civilized Society.
The domestic and foreign policies – ranging from the attempted coup previously to current actions and statements – erode not only national and global legal frameworks. The implications are broader.
They endanger the fundamental meaning of civilization itself.
A moral purpose of civilized society is to forestall the more powerful from harming and taking advantage of the less powerful. Without this, we could find ourselves permanently immersed in a state of nature where survival of the strongest could survive.
This ideal is central of the nation's founding texts. It is equally the heart of the global system established after WWII supported by the America, which stresses collective action, popular sovereignty, human rights, and the supremacy of law.
Yet, it is a delicate principle, often broken by those who seek to abuse their power. Preserving it demands that the those in charge have a sense of duty to abstain from seeking immediate gains, and that society ensure they answer for their actions if they don't.
Absolute power does not equal right. It leads to uncertainty, chaos, and war.
Every time people or corporations or countries that are advantaged target and use those that are not, the structure of society weakens. If such aggression are not contained, the structure collapses. Allowing it to persist, the world can descend into chaos and war. History provides ample precedent.
We now inhabit a global community marked by extreme inequality. Authority and resources are held by fewer hands than in modern history. This invites the powerful to leverage their position against the less fortunate because they perceive themselves as untouchable.
The fortunes of a handful of billionaires is staggering. The reach of big tech, big oil, and large defense contractors covers much of the globe. AI is poised to centralize economic and political clout further. The military might of the leading countries is unmatched in recorded history.
Supported by political allies and an accommodating high court, the executive office has been turned into the most dominant and unchecked entity of government in history.
Put it all together and you perceive the danger.
A clear connection links past transgressions to ongoing threats. Both were founded upon the hubris of invincibility.
There is much the same in other global contexts: in territorial invasions, in expansive ambitions, and in the worldwide exploitation by powerful corporate entities.
However, unfettered might does not make right. It fosters fragility, revolution, and war.
Historical evidence demonstrates that rules and conventions to constrain the powerful also safeguard them. Without such constraints, their endless appetite for increased control and resources in time cause their collapse – taking down their corporations, nations, or empires. And pave the way for world war.
Such lawlessness will plague America and the global community – and indeed civilization – for years to come.
