What is at stake in us elections

What is at stake in us elections

The US goes to the polls today to elect its 46th president. As the world’s sole superpower and guarantor of security of Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan in East Asia, of Western Europe and US allies in West Asia, as the world’s largest economy and issuer of the currency in which the bulk of cross-border payments are settled and exports invoiced, how the US behaves matters a lot to the rest of the world.

It is not just the future of Americans that is in play. The India-US relationship is now stable and changes in leadership would have marginal impact on the general direction of the bilateral relationship.

Despite this, there is a lot at stake for India, particularly the shifts in geopolitical balance the Trump presidency has already wrought and could aggravate in a second term.

Over the last four years, there has been a spectacular rise and consolidation of China’s power. Though President Trump’s rhetoric has been about taking on China, Trumpian America First isolationism has vacated space for China to expand its power and influence in global affairs.

President Trump blamed the unfair advantage for China and its failure to play by the rules for the US decision to exit the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the World Health Organisation.

Weakening of the rules-based global order and replacing it with the principle that might is right, as the US has done, has suited China and hurt countries like India.

The World Trade Organisation has been rendered toothless, with US refusal to appoint members to its appellate body. Trump’s trade war with China has hurt global growth, including India’s. Climate change and the fight against global terror are two other big areas impacted by US policy.

President Trump’s zeal to recall US soldiers from Afghanistan and leave the country to the Taliban’s tender mercies will boost Afghan dysfunction and faith-based terror.

The US is the world’s oldest and most influential democracy. Its flaws, when magnified, resound across the world and stunt democratic deepening everywhere. Much is at stake today.