When Donald Trump As he prepares to begin a second term in the White House, American economist Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics, warns of a vision of power that he describes as the “law of the jungle.” In The roads of freedom, his latest essay, he explains that the former American president disregards the principles of cooperation and international law, favoring a transactional approach that increases the risks of economic and political instability.
Stiglitz also highlights the rise of monopolies and the collusion between political power and great fortunes. The appointment ofElon Musk, the head of X and a tech figure, as Secretary of Government Efficiency illustrates, according to him, a capture of political freedom by the concentration of wealth. He fears that the deregulation promised by Trump, particularly in the financial and environmental sectors, will fuel new crises and slow down the fight against climate change.
For Stiglitz, this deregulated model is already reflected in the daily lives of Americans, who are forced to deal with failing health insurance, unreliable monopolistic services and growing disinformation. By refusing to moderate the content they broadcast, the digital giants are accentuating this major democratic issue.
Faced with these excesses, the economist advocates strengthening the legal framework to avoid the abusive concentration of economic power and restore competition. Finally, he underlines the importance of solid international coordination, regretting that Trump is undermining multilateral institutions and encouraging protectionism, to the detriment, according to him, of collective prosperity.
