December always provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on what was and what will be. This year, one of the conclusions that such reflection yields is that the United States remains firmly at the center of the liberal world order. Another is that the U.S. needs to do more to lead in the way that its international standing demands.　Doubts about America’s continued global leadership have been proliferating for years. But, though the much-discussed multi-polar world order may well be in the ca

Dec. 23, 2015

Old men have become laughingstocks in Korean society. Our status has fallen so low that I just wonder if we have the resources to make a comeback. You think I’m joking? Read this:　　“There were four old men whose eyes were bloated and bruised. When asked what happened, the first man said he was punched by his wife simply because he asked her to show him her bankbooks; the second because he asked his wife why she put on makeup; the third merely because he asked his wife to give him lunch; and the

Dec. 23, 2015

The new fault line in politics, according to Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Front, is between globalists and patriots. It is an argument similar to those being made by euroskeptics in the United Kingdom and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in the United States. It is, however, as false as it is dangerous.　Judging by the results of the second and final round of France’s regional elections on Dec. 13, it is also an argument that French voters, at least, roundly

Dec. 23, 2015

Saudi Arabia has recently announced a new coalition of Muslim countries to fight terrorism. 　A statement released by the Saudi Arabian government named the 34 participating countries, which it said “have decided on the formation of a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism, with a joint operations center based in Riyadh to coordinate and support military operations”.　It sounded like a positive thing to do given what the Middle East has been going through over the past decade or

Dec. 22, 2015

Over the past few years the world has witnessed the advancing march of technology’s influence on virtually every aspect of our existence -- be it business, social, or cultural. The ongoing emergence and confluence of evolving technologies is altering our very notions of reality. One example of this is the explosive growth of the entertainment phenomenon known as “eSports.” 　Korea pioneered the modern version of eSports, and to this day, remains a leader in what has become a mainstream pastime th

Dec. 22, 2015

No one in their right mind would send their true love seven swans a-swimming, stuff six geese a-laying into a stocking or try to wrap up a partridge in a pear tree, but pet stores still peddle other animals as “presents” -- during the holidays and year round -- with disastrous results.　Most animals sold in pet stores are raised in anything but merry conditions. Pet stores are notorious for obtaining the dogs they sell from puppy mills -- hellish mass-breeding factories that neglect mother dogs a

Dec. 22, 2015

The great American middle class has become an anxious class — and it’s in revolt.　Before I explain how that revolt is playing out, you need to understand the sources of the anxiety.　Start with the fact that the middle class is shrinking, according to the Pew Research Center.　The odds of falling into poverty are frighteningly high, especially for the majority of the population who lack college degrees.　Two-thirds of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Most could lose their jobs at any time

Dec. 21, 2015

Concerns about the impact of global trade and growth on environmental protection and sustainability, and vice versa, are longstanding and not without cause. Yet, the advancement of these 21st-century development priorities is not an “either-or” proposition. To the contrary, they can and must go hand-in-hand.　The fight against climate change exemplifies the significant role that greater interconnectivity of people and markets, and trade between them can play in fostering a more prosperous, secure

Dec. 21, 2015

Indonesia’s House of Representatives has opted for new faces over figures with proven track records to lead the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the vanguard in the country’s fierce fight against graft, for the next four years. 　It’s therefore understandable if doubts loom over the prospects of the war on entrenched corruption, which this nation has not yet won, or, in the eyes of pessimists, has already lost.　On Thursday, members of the House’s Commission III overseeing legal affairs el

Dec. 21, 2015

Like a tornado or a typhoon, the political tsunami that is Donald Trump is a complex coalescence of current and historical forces whose unforeseen speed and power threatens to wreak havoc on the 2016 political landscape.　Some of these forces formed the subtext for the latest Republican debate Tuesday night. They’re among at least 12 specific factors that have helped to create what could prove for Republicans to be a perfect storm -- or a historic disaster:　-- The reshaping of the two main politi

Dec. 20, 2015

Five years ago today, the self-immolation of Tunisian fruit seller Mohamed Bouazizi sparked the Arab Spring.　At this distance, it’s possible to ask a difficult question: Has the Arab Spring been good for the Arabic-speaking world? Are most people better off than they were five years ago?　It’s also possible to give a disturbing answer, one born of deep respect and admiration for those who bravely protested and in many cases gave their lives for dignity, justice and democracy.　With the exception o

Dec. 20, 2015

The Federal Reserve deserves praise for managing once again to carry out a tricky transition without causing disruptions in financial markets and creating too much risk for the real economy.　Sustaining this success will require more than just the central bank’s continued responsive policy making. Much will depend on fiscal policy and structural reforms in the U.S., as well as the ability of financial markets to reconcile the divergence between Fed policy and the actions of other systemically imp

Dec. 20, 2015

Some people here have urged the Hong Kong government to try and join the Trans-Pacific Partnership since the U.S.-led free trade pact became official earlier this year.　Those who support this idea include three types. The first type is those who are politically naive and think it is necessary and easy for Hong Kong to join the TPP simply because it is one of the freest open market economies in the world. The second is those who are capable of political thinking, but only to a certain point. They

Dec. 18, 2015