World Politics News   Articles for World Politics Course

Michael Klare is our colleague at Hampshire College and he has written extensively on world affairs, particularly on the role of resource constraints on politics.  His most recent essay is an examination of President-elect Trump’s energy plan.  It is based largely on the campaign promises made by Mr. Trump, so we cannot be sure that these policies will actually be followed.  But the incoherence of the plan is made clear by Klare.  In his words: “In other words, Trump’s plan will undoubtedly prove to be an enigma wrapped in a conundrum inside a roiling set of contradictions.” But following even a few of Mr. Trump’s policies will move the US far away from its promises to avert climate change.

I am not sure what to make of the phenomenon known as “fake news”. It is a current buzzword, but I sincerely doubt that there was ever a time when false stories were not circulated by those who wished to muddy political waters.  Some of the stories are truly unbelievable as is the current story circulating around Venezuela that the US is taking 100 Bolivar bank notes out of Venezuela in order to stimulate inflation and overthrow the government of President Maduro.  The 100 Bolivar note is now worth around 2 US cents and Maduro has announced his own intention to take the notes out of circulation in January and replace them with 500 Bolivar notes.  With an expected inflation rate of about 500% next year, the Venezuelan economy has already passed the point of collapse.

Joseph Kabila has been President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the last 15 years and Monday is supposed to be his last day in office.  But it does not appear as if he is prepared to step down, and his refusal to stand aside could trigger off violent protests.  The DRC is no stranger to violence:  between 1997 and 2003 almost 5 million people were killed in political violence. Since its independence in 1960, the DRC has never experienced a peaceful transfer of power.