A Contemporary Middle Eastern History Project

Tag: Change

Constants and Change

Why you shouldn’t Ask Historians for Advice on the Stock Market.
Dow Jones Index 100-Year Historical Chart
Dow Jones Index 100-Year Historical Chart

Some time ago, a friend asked me, which themes and issues I — as a historian — see most significant in the near future.

We were then talking about investments and stock markets. Think long-term financial sustainability.

I then remembered a podcast by the U.S. think tank Council on Foreign Relations, where the author, a political scientist, elaborated on various issues that, due to their global character, would of major significance in the near future:

Climate change, epidemic diseases, terrorism, water, cyber security, etc.

In retrospect, I feel bad for citing this answer.

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Change VS. Make America Great Again

Trump and Obama
Trump and Obama

My 90-year-old landlord is convinced I should write my dissertation about Donald Trump, instead of Barack Obama. He says it would be “more interesting”. Fair enough.

Instead I’m “stuck” with Obama’s Middle Eastern policy. How he tried to extend his slogan of “Change” into that troubled region by promoting a “New Beginning”.

I marvel at questions like  these:
Why was there a new beginning needed?
How did the ‘new’ look like in the eyes of the charismatic 44th President of the United States?
And what on earth did he refer to as ‘old’? Bush? Clinton? Cold War diplomacy? The New Deal? Slavery?

Then it struck me, sipping my tea at the window and watching my landlord bring the trash bins to the street.

Trump is essentially doing the same thing!

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