The piece argues the U.S. is shifting from rule‑bound multilateralism to a bilateral, transactional network of state relations—akin to China’s historical Warring States period—where legitimacy comes from outputs (industry, cohesion, clarity) rather than institutional approval. Trump’s 'reciprocal' tariffs are presented as the catalyst and operating method for this new order. The frame suggests innovation, standardization and hard meritocracy tend to arise in such competitive anarchy.
— This reframes today’s order as open rivalry rather than mediated stability, changing how analysts assess power, institutions, and the meaning of U.S. leadership.
Chris Cutrone
2026.01.05
82% relevant
Cutrone’s account of Trump pursuing bilateral deals with Iran, Russia and China — rather than multilateral rule‑making — exemplifies the article’s claim that U.S. policy is shifting toward transactional, power‑balancing diplomacy resembling a Warring‑States‑style order (direct leader‑to‑leader bargains and spheres of influence). The article names Trump, Putin and Xi and describes summitry and bilateral track diplomacy that map onto the 'warring‑states' frame.
Steve Sailer
2026.01.04
92% relevant
The article identifies a Trump administration worldview that divides the globe into three rival spheres—Washington’s, Beijing’s, and Moscow’s—precisely the ‘Warring States’ framing that the existing idea argues is replacing post‑Cold War multilateralism; Sailer’s use of Orwell’s Oceania/Eastasia/Eurasia is a cultural articulation of that strategic move.
Wolfgang Munchau
2025.12.01
87% relevant
The article argues Europe has lost the kind of long‑term and chess‑style statecraft needed to shape a post‑war settlement, leaving room for actors (here the U.S./Trump plan and China’s long game) to re‑order outcomes — the same structural shift the 'Warring States' idea identifies: a move from mediated multilateral order to a transactional, power‑based politics.
Hui Huang
2025.10.16
100% relevant
Trump’s April tariffs on nearly all trading partners are cited as a deliberate move away from WTO‑style ritual toward bilateral, Warring States‑style bargaining.