A resurgence of classical great power politics is manifesting globally, according to historian Dominik Geppert, who warns of a shift towards a world defined by spheres of interest and influence. In an interview with the “Rheinische Post”, Professor Geppert, a specialist in 19th and 20th-century history at the University of Potsdam, pinpointed the recently unveiled U.S. National Security Strategy as a key indicator of this trend.
The strategy’s underpinnings and particularly the actions of former President Donald Trump, represent a profound paradox. Despite positioning himself as a champion of economic principles, Trump readily deployed forceful interventions, exemplified by his administration’s actions regarding Venezuela. This demonstrates, Geppert argues, a jarring prioritization of political objectives over economic considerations, a brutal assertion of power that belies any claims of isolationism.
“We have long believed that power politics had been supplanted by the power of economics” Geppert stated. “We are now witnessing the contrary”. He notes a return to a longstanding American tradition, rooted in isolationism and a focus on the Western Hemisphere, particularly within the Republican Party. While acknowledging the significant economic entanglement existing in our digital and globalized world, Geppert suggests that even protectionist measures implemented by the Trump administration are being viewed within Washington as an experiment worth undertaking, despite their potential limitations. The question remains whether this calculated disavowal of economic interdependence signals a permanent shift in U.S. foreign policy, or a temporary deviation within a larger framework of globalization.
