Watermill Geopolitics

The trilateral commission

A 152 year old- club you did not know exists 1. Membership is restricted to men only. 2. the club has a membership of many local and global leaders, ranging from artists and musicians to businessmen. 3. private club with two locations: a city clubhouse in the Nob Hill district of San Francisco, California, and the Bohemian Grove, a retreat north of the city in Sonoma County The clubhouse contains dining rooms, meeting rooms, a bar, a library, an art gallery, a theater, and guest rooms. It is named: Bohemian Club

The impossible Trinity The trilemma: 1. Free capital flow 2. Fixed exchange rate 3. Sovereign monetary policy Choose 2 Countries that have tried all 3 have failed. - Mexican Peso crisis in 1995 - Asian financial crisis 1997 - Argentinian Financial Collapse 2001 “The point is that you can't have it all: A country must pick two out of three. 1. It can fix its exchange rate without emasculating its central bank, but only by maintaining controls on capital flows (like China today); 2. It can leave capital movement free but retain monetary autonomy, but only by letting the exchange rate fluctuate (like Britain – or Canada) 3. It can choose to leave capital free and stabilize the currency, but only by abandoning any ability to adjust interest rates to fight inflation or recession” What government system do you think is best? #economics #monetarypolicy #finance #currency #china #financialcrisis

In 1931 it came as a surprise to the British government to discover that it could come off the gold standard without the pound collapsing. Only when the gold promise ceased to be jounluse did the explanation become clear: the paper notes themselves were acceptable for tax payments, and thiss gave them a value of their own, independent of their redeem ability for anything else.

No, we don’t care about you anymore. Slowly the US is abdicating from world leadership…

For ages I have wondered what I can do to channel my interest for international relations This is it. I will just write about it on this page. Follow for the learning journey and hopefully I can join the dots for other people too #internationalrelations #ir #globalaffairs #geopolitics

“The popularity of geopolitical theory from 1945 to the present has been rather like the length of hemline on a woman's skirt; it has fallen and risen with the vagaries of fashion.” The current vogue can be traced to 1979 when Henry Kissinger published the first volume of his memoirs titled The White House Years. It was significant that this book made continual use of the term 'geopolitics'. This was important for two reasons: first, Kissinger used it as a method of analysis to combat the American liberal policies of idealism; second, it was utilised as a means of presenting an alternative to the conservative policies of an ideological anti-Communism. Kissinger claimed for geopolitics a synonymity with global equilibrium and permanent national interests in the world balance of power. He defined geopolitics as follows: 'by geopolitical I mean an approach that pays attention to the requirements of equilibrium'.” - Why Geopolitics

Who is the president? Algeria. 🇩🇿 Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of Algeria (2019–present) Context: Tebboune was elected president in December 2019, succeeding Abdelaziz Bouteflika who resigned amid mass protests. 1. Political reforms: Organized a referendum in November 2020 to approve constitutional changes aimed at increasing democracy and limiting presidential terms. 2. Economy: Aimed to facilitate investments and prioritize local economic initiatives to diversify from oil/gas dependence 3. Foreign Policy: Reaffirmed commitment to defending historical causes like Western Sahara and Palestine. Alao tightened relationship with Russia as the Kremlin pivots towards Africa and Asia. #Algeria #Africa #internationalrelations #foreignpolicy

Argentina publishes a surplus- again Argentina's government financial surplus in the first quarter of 2024 can be attributed to the following key factors: 1. Economic Recovery: After facing economic challenges in recent years, Argentina has experienced an economic revival, leading to an increase in fiscal revenues and a decrease in expenditures. 2. Increased Tax Collection: The economic reactivation has boosted tax collection. Revenues from income taxes, value-added tax (VAT), and other taxes have increased, contributing significantly to the surplus. 3. Control of Public Spending: The Government has implemented measures to control public spending, including reducing subsidies, optimizing social programs, and eliminating unnecessary expenses. 4. Debt Restructuring: Argentina has been working on restructuring its external debt. By reducing interest and principal payments, the country has freed up resources for other areas. 5. Favourable Exchange Rate: The stability of the exchange rate has also contributed to the surplus. A more stable exchange rate reduces volatility in government revenues and expenditures.

The top priorities for each country #foreignpolicy #internationalrelations #ir