• Edward Luce, US national editor and columnist at the Financial Times, spoke to CDE executive director Ann Bernstein on American politics and global developments.
  • In Luce’s view, Donald Trump’s continuing support is linked to the deep cynicism about current politics in America. To many, Trump looks like the most effective way to blow up politics as usual. The other explanation is deep polarisation in media consumption.
  • Luce believes that a significant portion of American inflation comes from the much-too-large post-Covid stimulus, which with hindsight will come to be seen as quite a big mistake by Joe Biden.
  • Luce sees India’s pluralism and its tolerance and love of dissent, debate and argument as one of the country’s great strengths. This is now under threat from Narendra Modi’s Hindu majoritarian political project.
  • In the foreseeable future, Luce argues, China will no longer be the chief engine of global growth, and that “the attractiveness of the China model has been tarnished”.