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Comment by smallmancontrov

10 days ago

If we had continued on the path of free trade without "dealing in" those displaced by free trade, the pressure would have continued to grow. It certainly could have exploded in a different direction, at a different time, with a different champion, but so long as it was repressed instead of addressed it was always destined to explode.

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smallmancontrov

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coffeemug  10 days ago

Another plausible future is AI reshuffling the economic hierarchy. In a technological civilization the pressure valve need not be political.

As an aside, you made me curious if Trump made this constituency materially better off. Here's what Claude thinks (tl;dr: it's a wash): https://claude.ai/share/36233694-3729-4758-b2e6-c2058791ab1a

  • smallmancontrov  10 days ago

    Explosions are rarely productive. Populists are notorious for delivering lots of chaos and few results.

    It's easier for everyone to just deal in the economic losers, but we didn't do that, and now they are burning the house down. This will not get them what they want, but they will continue doing it anyway.

    Globalization was the test, AI is the final exam.