PROTECTIONISM AND POPULISM: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S POLICY TOWARDS CHINA

Abstract

The rise of populism in modern Western democracies is considered as the greatest challenge to the liberal democracy and multi-cultural global liberal order. The backlash to globalization and cosmopolitanism is evident from the recent rise of populism, which often is explained as a cultural backlash. Alternatively, economic insecurity perspective asserts that the uneven distribution of resources, technological advancement, and laborcapital imbalance created economic grievances and resentment among the leftovers which caused populism. The rise of President Trump as a populist leader in the US and his policy choices illustrates the domestic and foreign policy implications of Populism. Thus, this study takes into consideration few questions such as: What are the material and ideational factors responsible for President Trumps rise to Power? How does President Trump‘s political rhetoric relate to the broad political support received by these protectionist policies towards China? To answer these queries, the study hypothesized that President Trump opted protectionist economic policies towards China to consolidate his populist political narrative. Moreover, President Trump‘s election rhetoric for the restoration of past glory translated into popular policy choices which were instrumental in consolidating his in-group identity and electoral support base. The populist rhetoric and nationalist conception of trade and foreign policy rationalized President Trump‘s unilateral and protectionist trade policies towards China and other countries. Lastly, the study finds that President Trump‘s construction of China as an evil other and threat to sovereign people is a significant part of his election campaign and presidential years which he capitalized for consolidation of his in-group identity and populist support base.