FairPlay founder Francois Baird has included the new US tariff policy in a look at global current affairs through an analogy with famous movies.
An article in the Mail & Guardian featured his views, written as a distinguished fellow at the Energy Policy Research Foundation (EPRINC) in Washington DC.
Up until the time of President Trump’s inauguration this year, he wrote, “there was one geopolitical blockbuster playing in every cinema”. It was dominated by a single script – globalised institutions supported by American leadership.
“This script revolved around Western-style democracy, free markets and free trade, and aiming for peace and wealth through coordinated global interventions to deal with problems, from rising powers to regional conflicts.”
Now there were multiple competing narratives.
Baird looked at the changing global script through reimagined plots for The China Syndrome (multiple issues between China and the US redefining global norms), while the Middle East hotspots were captured in a double feature titled Tehran & Black Hawk Down.
Europe, Ukraine and Russia featured in The Hunt for Red October, while Wall Street looked at America’s internal recalibration to improve competitiveness.
“Focused on energy dominance, smaller government, deregulation and re-industrialisation through tariffs and technology protection, this story is about economic sovereignty as statecraft. Artificial intelligence, energy dominance and re-industrialisation are key themes in this plotline.”
Out of Africa featured the continuing competition for Africa’s minerals and assets by the US, China and Europe, while The Gods Must be Crazy had South Africa grappling with free markets versus state control, and alliances with Western powers or China.
The issues were interconnected, Baird said. Leaders had to navigate overlapping conflicts while balancing economic priorities and military strategies.
“With the old script shredded, improvisation is essential. Leaders must embrace complexity, become creative and seek opportunities for innovation in uncertainty.”
“As audiences worldwide watch these stories unfold, one thing is clear — managing complexity will be the defining skill of global leadership beyond 2025,” Baird concluded.
