Conflict, international trade and President Trump’s isolationist policies

Abstract

Purpose

This paper draws attention to President Trump’s isolationist policies and aims to show that it is reminiscent of the era of the Smoot–Hawley Tariff of the 1930s. This paper posits that the isolationism coupled with the Trump government’s brash and uneasy relationship with other governments of the world will only harm the US economy because history has shown that isolationism does not work.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper briefly discusses the relationship between conflict and international trade and whether trade and economic interdependence are tools that are relevant in preventing the initiation, escalation and settlement of conflicts. It also draws a comparison between President Trump’s increasingly isolationist policies and the political climate of the USA in the 1930s, with particular reference to the Tariff Act of 1930. This paper finally explores the present tensions with other countries and likely consequences for America.

Findings

A direct relationship exists between conflict and trade because the presence of good trade relationships does not take away from but only helps to maintain peace and friendly relationships among nations. Furthermore, Trump’s isolationist policies are certainly going to harm the USA in the long run and a big part of that is because of the personality of the President himself.

Originality/value

This paper is an original work of the author and it strives to remind us of a similar past in US history, and warn of the dangers of the present course of the Trump administration.

Citation

Abdulkareem, Y.A. (2018), "Conflict, international trade and President Trump’s isolationist policies", Journal of International Trade Law and Policy, Vol. 17 No. 1/2, pp. 34-45. https://doi.org/10.1108/JITLP-07-2017-0024