Eleanor Finch
Zero-sum diplomacy is a term that has been used to describe former US President Donald Trump's foreign policy approach. In a zero-sum game, one person's gain is equivalent to another's loss, resulting in a zero-net benefit. Trump's zero-sum instincts extended beyond trade wars with China and targeted countries like Mexico and Canada, even America's closest allies. This approach disrupted the international order and called into question the historical role of the US within it. Trump's zero-sum strategy left the US unprepared to lead or participate in collective solutions to global challenges.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mathematical representation | A situation in which each participant's gain or loss is balanced by the losses or gains of other participants |
| Game theory | One player's gain is equivalent to the other player's loss, resulting in a zero-net benefit |
| Political theory | Victory is achieved through cooperation, domination, or a combination of both |
| Economics | Trade and tariffs are examples of zero-sum games |
| Trade | Trade deficits are unambiguously bad |
| International relations | Trump's zero-sum instincts extended to international alliances and institutions |
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What You'll Learn
- Zero-sum diplomacy is a form of strictly competitive game theory
- It is a mathematical representation of a situation with two competing entities
- The result is an advantage for one side and an equivalent loss for the other
- Zero-sum diplomacy is often associated with Donald Trump's foreign policy
- It is a perspective that can be applied to trade and immigration
Zero-sum diplomacy is a form of strictly competitive game theory
Former US President Donald Trump's foreign policy approach is a notable example of zero-sum diplomacy. Trump's zero-sum instincts extended beyond trade to international alliances and institutions. He targeted even America's closest allies with tariffs on imports, arguing that the US was being "taken advantage of" in trade deals. Trump's rhetoric portrayed trade as a battlefield, dismissing the notion of mutual benefits and harming industries and relationships.
Trump's zero-sum mentality disrupted the international order and questioned the traditional role of the US within it. His vision prioritised dominance over partnership and unilateralism over compromise. Critics argue that Trump's worldview misunderstands the dynamics of globalisation and interstate relations in an interconnected world.
In contrast to zero-sum diplomacy, positive-sum principles emphasise that nations thrive through cooperation and interdependence. Open trade, for instance, fosters innovation and wealth creation across borders. However, zero-sum diplomacy reduces relationships to transactions, where winning comes at the expense of another's loss.
Zero-sum diplomacy has implications for global challenges such as pandemics, climate change, and cyber threats, where collaboration is essential. The US-China relationship, for instance, has been characterised by competition, with Beijing viewing it as a zero-sum game or cold war. While the US emphasises competition, China seeks to avoid adversarial relations, recognising the potential harm to its economy and development.
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It is a mathematical representation of a situation with two competing entities
Zero-sum is a situation in game theory and economic theory that involves two competing entities. It is a mathematical representation of a situation where the result is an advantage for one side and an equivalent loss for the other. In other words, player one's gain is equivalent to player two's loss, with the result that the net improvement in benefit of the game is zero. If the total gains of the participants are added up, and the total losses are subtracted, they will sum to zero. For instance, consider a chocolate bar on a table, with two friends both wanting to eat it. Each of them wants to eat the entire chocolate bar and has no interest in sharing it. One of them will gain it, and the other will lose out. This is a zero-sum game.
Poker and gambling are popular examples of zero-sum games since the sum of the amounts won by some players equals the combined losses of the others. Games like chess and tennis, where there are one winner and one loser, are also zero-sum games. In a zero-sum game, the players are always seeking to minimise the opponent's payoff at a favourable cost to themselves rather than preferring more over less. This is known as the "punishing-the-opponent standard".
Zero-sum games are most often solved with the minimax theorem, which is closely related to linear programming duality, or with the Nash equilibrium. The Nash equilibrium for a two-player, zero-sum game can be found by solving a linear programming problem. The game will have at least one Nash equilibrium.
Zero-sum games have been used to describe the foreign policies of some countries. For example, former US President Donald Trump has often been accused of adopting a zero-sum approach to foreign trade, believing that each dollar America spends buying goods from overseas is a dollar that the country loses. Similarly, Beijing has portrayed America's competition with China as a zero-sum game, believing that America intends to weaken China.
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The result is an advantage for one side and an equivalent loss for the other
Zero-sum is a situation in game theory and economic theory that involves two competing entities, where the result is an advantage for one side and an equivalent loss for the other. In other words, player one's gain is equivalent to player two's loss, with the result that the net improvement in benefit of the game is zero. If the total gains of the participants are added up, and the total losses are subtracted, they will sum to zero.
Poker and gambling are popular examples of zero-sum games since the sum of the amounts won by some players equals the combined losses of the others. Games like chess and tennis, where there is one winner and one loser, are also zero-sum games. In a zero-sum game, the players are always seeking to minimize the opponent's payoff at a favourable cost to themselves rather than preferring more over less.
Zero-sum games are most often solved with the minimax theorem or with Nash equilibrium. For two-player finite zero-sum games, if the players are allowed to play a mixed strategy, the game always has at least one equilibrium solution. The Nash equilibrium for a two-player, zero-sum game can be found by solving a linear programming problem.
The zero-sum game finds most of its application in economics and political theory. Politics is often conceived as a type of game. To win, a person or group must amass more power than the other players in order to advance their own goals. Victory can be achieved through cooperation with the other players, domination over them, or some combination of the two.
Former President Donald Trump has often represented foreign trade as a zero-sum game, one in which each nation gains and loses in equal measure. Each dollar that America spends buying goods from overseas is a dollar that the country loses. Under this theory, trade deficits are unambiguously bad. Trump's zero-sum instincts extended to international alliances and institutions. NATO, the linchpin of Western security since 1949, became a frequent target of his disdain.
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Zero-sum diplomacy is often associated with Donald Trump's foreign policy
Zero-sum diplomacy is often associated with former US President Donald Trump's foreign policy. Trump's zero-sum worldview manifested in his approach to diplomacy, trade, and security relations with other countries. This perspective sees international relations as a contest of winners and losers, where one country's gain is necessarily another's loss. Trump's policies targeted even America's closest allies, with tariffs placed on imports from countries like Mexico, Canada, and China. He argued that the US was being "taken advantage of" in trade deals, dismissing the notion of mutual benefits that had been a cornerstone of the postwar international system.
Trump's zero-sum mentality disrupted the international order and called into question the traditional role of the US within it. His unpredictable allegiances often favoured autocratic regimes while alienating long-standing democratic allies. Trump seemed drawn to strongmen like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, praising their "strength" while deriding leaders from Canada and European states. This shift marked a retreat from the symbiotic relationships that had been cultivated with other nations, casting the US as a sceptical outsider.
Trump's zero-sum instincts extended beyond trade to international alliances and institutions. NATO, a linchpin of Western security, became a frequent target of his disdain. His zero-sum strategy left the US ill-prepared to lead or even participate in collective solutions to global challenges such as pandemics, climate change, and cyber threats. Trump's worldview has been criticised as a fundamental misunderstanding of the dynamics of globalisation and interstate relations.
Trump's zero-sum approach to foreign policy can be understood through the concept of "zero-sum game" in game theory and economic theory. This concept describes a situation involving two competing entities, where one side's gain is equivalent to the other's loss, resulting in a net benefit of zero. Trump often represented foreign trade as a zero-sum game, believing that each dollar America spent on overseas goods was a loss for the country. This perspective also influenced his views on issues like freedom from discrimination, seeing it as a step backward for everyone else rather than a collective benefit.
Trump's zero-sum transactional worldview was driven by his obsession with status, contributing to his affinity for trade protectionism and scepticism of allies. This mindset led to a foreign policy characterised by a focus on dominance and unilateralism rather than partnership and compromise. While Trump's approach appealed to a significant portion of the American public, it also raised concerns about the country's ability to lead and collaborate on pressing global issues.
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It is a perspective that can be applied to trade and immigration
Zero-sum is a situation in game theory where there is a mathematical representation of a situation in which one participant's gain is equal to the other participant's loss. If the total gains and losses of the participants are added and subtracted, they will sum to zero. Chess, tennis, poker, and gambling are examples of zero-sum games.
Zero-sum game theory is often applied to economics and political theory. In the context of economics, trade and exchange are considered positive-sum games, as most transactions are mutually beneficial to both parties involved. However, derivatives trades are often considered zero-sum games, as every dollar earned by one party is lost by another. Additionally, former US President Donald Trump has been known to represent foreign trade as a zero-sum game, where each nation's gains and losses are equal.
Immigration is another area where the concept of a zero-sum game has been applied. Some people view immigration as a zero-sum game, arguing that if immigrants are allowed access to employment, the domestic economy will suffer, and local workers will be denied opportunities. However, this perspective ignores the positive contributions that immigrants can bring to a country's economy, such as innovation, job creation, and higher consumption.
In summary, while zero-sum game theory can be applied to trade and immigration, it is important to recognize that these are complex issues that do not always fit neatly into a zero-sum framework. There are often multiple factors and variables at play, and it is essential to consider the specific context and potential for mutual benefit or loss in each situation.
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Frequently asked questions
Zero-sum diplomacy is a term used to describe a country's foreign policy approach that views international relations as a zero-sum game. In a zero-sum game, interactions between countries are seen as a competition where one country's gain is equivalent to another country's loss. This perspective assumes that the sum of gains and losses among participants always adds up to zero.
Former US President Donald Trump's foreign policy approach is a notable example of zero-sum diplomacy. Trump's trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs on imports from countries like Mexico, Canada, and China, reflected a zero-sum mentality. He argued that the US was being "taken advantage of" and portrayed trade as a battlefield where concessions were equivalent to surrender. Trump's zero-sum instincts extended beyond trade, impacting international alliances and institutions like NATO.
Critics argue that zero-sum diplomacy fails to recognize the dynamics of globalization and interstate relations. In a deeply interconnected global landscape, isolating one nation's success from another's failure becomes increasingly implausible. Zero-sum diplomacy also undermines the potential benefits of cooperation and collaboration, which are essential for addressing global challenges such as pandemics, climate change, and cyber threats.
