Sta Hungry Stay Foolish

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

A blog by Leon Oudejans

Nationalism, the curse for Business

The transition from the old (ie, Left vs Right) to the new Great Divide (ie, Nationalism vs Globalism) is causing havoc on business. As a result, businesses are relocating national production facilities and amending global supply chains. The Belief systems Money and Politics usually have a close relationship, except for countries run by the Political Islam.

The above may need some examples for a better understanding:

  • BBC, 29 March 2019: “Business groups have said they are “devastated” after Parliament’s latest rejection of the prime minister’s EU withdrawal plan”;
  • The Atlantic, 25 March 2019: “Supermarket chains—accused by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of “treasonous” profiteering—are meanwhile selling some products below cost, or even pulling expensive vegetables from their shelves to avoid risking public ire.”;
  • NY Post, 17 March 2019: “Donald Trump demands GM reopen shuttered Ohio plant”.

With the knowledge of hindsight, the above was also relevant in some of my 2018 blogs:

My main question at this point is: why does Nationalism “hate” business? In accordance with the Occam’s Razor problem-solving principle, the simplest explanations would involve Fear and Power. Probably, it is even the combination of Fear over Power because the Belief system Money typically sides with the winner in Politics.

Nationalism is rooted in identity-based politics. However, there never really is a single identity. When you zoom in on a national identity, you will quickly find differentiating sub-identities (eg, age, prosperity, race, religion, residence, sex). Nationalism is mostly a political instrument for autocrats or strongmen for stirring up fear over any “strangers”.

Perhaps, democracy is even feared most by nationalists because it can also strip them of their newly acquired Power. This may explain the relentless attacks of strongmen on the institutions governing democracy (eg, elections, free press, judicial system).

How will Money cope with a decoupling from Politics? In this day and age, Money is perhaps the most fluid and globalist player of all. It does not recognise national boundaries. Controlling money by imposing (currency or trading) restrictions is usually a futile effort. Anyone who fights “money” usually loses.

Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver. A quote by Ayn Rand (1905-1982), a Russian-American writer and philosopher.

Money (1973) by Pink Floyd

artists, lyrics, videoWiki-1, Wiki-2

Note: all markings (bolditalicunderlining) by LO unless stated otherwise

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