Reason, as it is preached by traditional moralists, is too of negative, too little living, to make a good life. It is not by reason alone that wars can be prevented, but by a positive life of impulses and passions antagonistic to those that lead to war. It is the life of impulse that needs to be changed, not only the life of conscious thought.
Source: Principles of Social Reconstruction, 1916
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Since the emergence of President Trump, however, the United States has undergone a major transformation. That is to say, America has moved away from its traditional role as a global leader, and President Trump has made it clear that he prioritizes immediate national interest over alliances or international cooperation.
He has shown a sense of affinity for authoritarian figures such as Kim Jong-un of North Korea and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel. As for democracy, he gives the impression of treating it as nothing more than a "policy" advocated by the Democratic Party, which he openly opposes.
Under the slogan "Make America Great Again" (MAGA), President Trump has rejected globalism and, under an "America First" agenda, pursued foreign policy based on "deals" designed to benefit the United States. However, these deals are not conducted on equal footing; they are structured to ensure America's advantage from the outset. Accordingly, he dislikes multilateral negotiations like those at the G7 summit. At the most recent G7 meeting, for example, he attended only the first day and returned home early, giving what seemed to be a plausible explanation.
What, then, is the driving force behind President Trump? He does not appear to be guided by any consistent ideology or philosophy. In fact, his remarks and policies show little sign of coherent political thought; rather, they often seem to be driven by emotional reactions and a desire for personal retaliation.
One of his key motivations appears to be a strong desire for power and dominance, and another, whose origin is less clear, seems to be a deep, persistent anger.
Seen in this light, Bertrand Russell's claim that reason alone cannot restrain human excess no longer feels like an outdated notion. Today's "Words of Russell" may offer profound insight into how we might confront those in power in our own time.
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