In this episode, we examine the deliberate unraveling of the global trade system by the very nation that once built it. What does it mean to be economically present in the world if presence no longer demands interaction? What happens when tariffs are no longer instruments of protection for domestic renewal, but tools of tactical leverage?

Drawing historical parallels from the mercantilist era through 19th-century industrial policy, this episode explores the return of trade as a means of control—not construction. We trace the structural failure of European empires that extracted but did not build, and the deeper implications of the United States adopting a similar logic today.

China’s rise, like Britain’s before it, challenges not just competitiveness but coherence, exposing what happens when nations rely on leverage without investing in transformation. The episode asks whether economic collapse in the U.S. will take the form of a dramatic crisis or slow erosion: not an explosion, but an unbuilding.

Topics include:

• The shift from multilateralism to bilateral pressure
• Mercantilism as a historical mirror
• Trump’s tariff logic and structural implications
• China’s role in exposing strategic fragility
• What real economic transformation demands—and why extraction isn’t enough

For essays, transcripts, and more analysis, visit:

www.wernermouton.com

This episode examines the structural logic behind the new U.S.-EU trade deal. At the surface: a 15% tariff on European exports, framed as a victory for balance. But beneath that surface lies a deeper contradiction between how trade deficits are perceived and how they actually function.

We trace the system that sustains the U.S. trade deficit: not as a policy failure, but as a reflection of capital inflows, reserve currency demand, and domestic consumption fueled by external financing. Tariffs do not alter this structure. They tax the symptom without addressing the cause.

For Europe, the deal institutionalizes asymmetry. Energy purchases and investment pledges were exchanged for conditional market access, while core industries now face structural disadvantage. This is not reciprocity; it is compliance under leverage.

We follow how these dynamics redistribute risk, suppress industrial policy, and displace production from Europe to the U.S., with long-term political consequences.

What’s at stake is not just trade. It’s autonomy, institutional coherence, and the ability to govern the terms of economic adjustment.

This is not a trade war. It’s the normalization of managed imbalance.

Economics Is Already Part of Your Life

Most people think economics is reserved for Wall Street analysts or government policymakers, but the reality is that you're making economic decisions every single day.

When you choose between buying coffee or making it at home, negotiate your salary, or decide how to spend your weekend, you're engaging with economic principles, whether you realize it or not.

Why This Matters for Your Career and Life

Understanding economics provides you with a powerful framework for decision-making that extends far beyond financial matters. In this episode, I explore ten key areas where economic literacy makes a practical difference:

• Daily Decision-Making: Every choice involves trade-offs and opportunity costs

• Career Development: Understanding labor markets helps you make informed career decisions and negotiate better compensation

• Government Policy: Economic literacy helps you evaluate political promises and understand policy trade-offs

• Personal Finance: Foundation for understanding inflation, interest rates, and investment decisions

• Global Awareness: Making sense of international trade and how global events affect local markets

• Critical Thinking: Evaluating economic claims made by politicians, media, and businesses

• Consumer Choices: Understanding production and consumption patterns to make informed purchasing decisions

The Bottom Line

Economics isn't just about numbers and graphs. It's about human behavior, choices, and how we navigate a world of limited resources.

Whether you're a complete beginner or someone looking to sharpen your economic thinking, understanding these principles helps you become a more informed citizen, better decision-maker, and more effective professional.

The question isn't whether you're an economist—you already are. The question is whether you want to be a good one.

Listen to Episode 1 now!

Political Economy is written and hosted by Werner Mouton.

This episode is part of an ongoing attempt to examine how economic and political systems structure the world—and how we think within them.

More work at wernermouton.com