by Bill O’Grady

Three weeks ago, we began our series on nationalism.  In Part I, we discussed social contract theory before and after the Enlightenment.  We examined three social contract theorists, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.  In Part II, we recounted Western history from the American and French Revolutions into WWII.  From there, we examined America’s exercise of hegemony and the key lessons learned from the interwar period.  This week, we will begin with an historical analysis of the end of the Cold War and the difficulties that have developed in terms of the post-WWII consensus and current problems.  We will discuss the tensions between the U.S. superpower role and the domestic problems we face.  Next, we will analyze populism, including its rise and the dangers inherent in it.  As always, we will conclude with market ramifications.

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