Are we entering a new era? In five days’ time, Joe Biden will leave the White House, to be replaced by Donald Trump. Some experts think he brings a whole new century with him.
Trump prepares for power as 'Sun King'
Are we entering a new era? In five days' time, Joe Biden will leave the White House, to be replaced by Donald Trump. Some experts think he brings a whole new century with him.
There are those who think the Americans have always yearned for a king. Alexander HamiltonOne of the founding fathers of the United States. He died in 1804. made the case for an "elective monarchy" where the president would be appointed for life. CongressThe legislative branch of the American government, where elected representatives vote on which laws should be passed. Congress is made up of two chambers: the Senate, which contains two members from each of the 50 states, and the House of Representatives, which has representatives from 435 smaller districts. proposed the president should be addressed as "His Elective Majesty".1
Now, 250 years later, some think the US has its first president-monarch in Donald Trump.
In an absolute monarchy, all power comes from proximity to the king. Those who want to wield it must flatter and manipulate him so they can use his power for their own purposes.
The absolute monarch par excellence was Louis XIVA 17th-Century French king who expanded the powers of the French monarchy and turned his country into the greatest power in the world. However, by the end of his long, 72-year reign he had squandered much of this advantage. of France, the Sun King. In the course of his 72-year reign he centralised all power in his own hands and humbled the old French nobilityThe aristocracy, or the highest social rank. , who had long enjoyed much power of their own.
Those who wanted to enjoy the king's favour had to adopt his mannerisms, abide closely by court etiquette, and spend a fortune matching his clothing styles.
Today, the modern nobility of the USA, the billionaire class, finds itself in the same boat: kissing the ring to gain royal favour. Amazon's Jeff BezosThe founder of Amazon and one of the world's richest people. has donated $1m (£822,000) towards Trump's inaugurationThe introduction of a new system, or the formal ceremony introducing someone to office (most noticeably the US president). .2
Meanwhile, Mark ZuckerbergSince founding Facebook as a university student, Zuckerberg has become one of the top ten richest people in the world. of MetaThe new name of the company which owns Facebook and Instagram. has announced a stark right-wing shift in his company's governance: scrapping fact-checkers in the name of "free speech", calling for more "masculine energy" and an end to diversity policies.3 Most observers think this is an effort to gain Trump's favour by adopting his ideas.
Louis also angered his nobles by elevating low-born outsiders to positions of trust and authority. His reasoning was that through this, he could create people who would be loyal to him alone, since they would have no family ties or other power bases.
In the same way, Trump has hired people from outside the traditional hierarchy of the Republican PartyAlso known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum., most notably Elon MuskA South African-born entrepreneur whose companies have included the online payment service PayPal. He now controls Twitter, renamed 'X'.. Since he does not belong to any faction in the party, all his power depends on Trump.
Yet the favour of a king, once lost, is lost forever. Louis XIV's first finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, used his position to enrich himself. However, he did not realise his enemies were working to destroy the king's trust in him until one day, quite suddenly, he was arrested and condemned to life imprisonment.4 Some wonder if Musk will go the same way.
All of which suggests, for certain experts, that we are at the end of an era. They say until now we have been living in the "long 20th Century", which actually began in the late 1800s.
This period was marked by increasing democratisation around the world, technocraticA technocrat is a person with political power who is an expert in their field, e.g. economics, rather than a career politician. governance, more globalisationThe growing interdependence of the world's economies, peoples and cultures. and free flows of trade. Living standards grew everywhere, literacy expanded and life expectancies shot up.
Instead, the 21st Century is a time of oligarchiesA system of government in which a small elite rules., far-rightA range of ideologies that emphasise social order, racial purity and the elimination of opponents. politics, closed borders and trade wars. Quality of life is falling along with life expectancy. Social media seems to be harming people's reading capacities.
But others say none of this is new. In most of the world living standards have been stagnating since the 1990s. And there has always been an oligarchic element to liberal democracies: Trump is simply more honest about it.
Are we entering a new era?
Yes: The world has always moved through epochsParticular periods in history.. Its long age of liberalism, internationalism and democracy is over. Trump is ushering in a new, closed and reactionaryOpposed to new political ideas or social change. era.
No: The "liberal, open" age never existed for most of the world. This is simply the west ending up in the same boat as the Global SouthA term increasingly used to describe less-developed countries, most of which are south of a line that separates, on different continents, the USA from Mexico, Europe from Africa, and Russia from central Asia and China.: oligarchic rulers, closed economies, conservative societies.
Or... The question of when one age ends and another begins is always subjective and arguable. Whether this is a sea change or more of the same, what we are seeing is of historical significance.
Alexander Hamilton - One of the founding fathers of the United States. He died in 1804.
Congress - The legislative branch of the American government, where elected representatives vote on which laws should be passed. Congress is made up of two chambers: the Senate, which contains two members from each of the 50 states, and the House of Representatives, which has representatives from 435 smaller districts.
Louis XIV - A 17th-Century French king who expanded the powers of the French monarchy and turned his country into the greatest power in the world. However, by the end of his long, 72-year reign he had squandered much of this advantage.
Nobility - The aristocracy, or the highest social rank.
Jeff Bezos - The founder of Amazon and one of the world's richest people.
Inauguration - The introduction of a new system, or the formal ceremony introducing someone to office (most noticeably the US president).
Mark Zuckerberg - Since founding Facebook as a university student, Zuckerberg has become one of the top ten richest people in the world.
Meta - The new name of the company which owns Facebook and Instagram.
Republican Party - Also known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum.
Elon Musk - A South African-born entrepreneur whose companies have included the online payment service PayPal. He now controls Twitter, renamed 'X'.
Technocratic - A technocrat is a person with political power who is an expert in their field, e.g. economics, rather than a career politician.
Globalisation - The growing interdependence of the world's economies, peoples and cultures.
Oligarchies - A system of government in which a small elite rules.
Far-right - A range of ideologies that emphasise social order, racial purity and the elimination of opponents.
Epochs - Particular periods in history.
Reactionary - Opposed to new political ideas or social change.
Global South - A term increasingly used to describe less-developed countries, most of which are south of a line that separates, on different continents, the USA from Mexico, Europe from Africa, and Russia from central Asia and China.
Trump prepares for power as ‘Sun King’

Glossary
Alexander Hamilton - One of the founding fathers of the United States. He died in 1804.
Congress - The legislative branch of the American government, where elected representatives vote on which laws should be passed. Congress is made up of two chambers: the Senate, which contains two members from each of the 50 states, and the House of Representatives, which has representatives from 435 smaller districts.
Louis XIV - A 17th-Century French king who expanded the powers of the French monarchy and turned his country into the greatest power in the world. However, by the end of his long, 72-year reign he had squandered much of this advantage.
Nobility - The aristocracy, or the highest social rank.
Jeff Bezos - The founder of Amazon and one of the world's richest people.
Inauguration - The introduction of a new system, or the formal ceremony introducing someone to office (most noticeably the US president).
Mark Zuckerberg - Since founding Facebook as a university student, Zuckerberg has become one of the top ten richest people in the world.
Meta - The new name of the company which owns Facebook and Instagram.
Republican Party - Also known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum.
Elon Musk - A South African-born entrepreneur whose companies have included the online payment service PayPal. He now controls Twitter, renamed 'X'.
Technocratic - A technocrat is a person with political power who is an expert in their field, e.g. economics, rather than a career politician.
Globalisation - The growing interdependence of the world's economies, peoples and cultures.
Oligarchies - A system of government in which a small elite rules.
Far-right - A range of ideologies that emphasise social order, racial purity and the elimination of opponents.
Epochs - Particular periods in history.
Reactionary - Opposed to new political ideas or social change.
Global South - A term increasingly used to describe less-developed countries, most of which are south of a line that separates, on different continents, the USA from Mexico, Europe from Africa, and Russia from central Asia and China.