| Trump is actively setting trade/economic policy considering 18-19th century history (economic history more specifically). Remember the Opium Wars and the families it made rich (most famous, Coolidge (descendants of Thomas Jefferson), Roosevelts (through the Delano family), Forbes (John Kerry's family), etc.. in the US). On the otherside of the pond, in 1890 (peak opium crisis), 30% of Britain's GDP was illegal opium smuggling to China. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/3/30/opium-at-harvar... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_%26_Company https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0AJ59vqzzg The seperator between government and companies isn't as big as you think when this much multi-generational wealth and political power is invloved. Kind of funny that many don't know their own history (Roman history is tough...going through 300 years of US history is trivially easy but most still don't). |
And by the way, US tobacco manufacturers also managed to addict most of Southeast Asia. I highly recommend Drugs and Rights by Douglas N. Husak (Rutgers, 1992).[0]
0) https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/drugs-and-rights/0C9669...