For politicians seeking soundbites it’s easy to espouse a global narrative that sees liberal democracies valuing “freedom” pitted against countries where “autocracy and authoritarianism” dominate.
In the wake of Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine, this narrative was given a shot in the arm, bolstered by the cohesion, speed and scale of economic punishment unleashed on Russia by the West, along with some partners in Asia, including Japan and Taiwan.
A less prosecuted but equally simplistic portrait being painted is that current geopolitical division will realign trade and investment patterns because, in the words of former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, “global economics is downstream from global politics”.
