Historian Yuval Noah Harari joined Ezra Klein to argue that human progress hinges on large‑scale cooperation, not the brute‑force hierarchy championed by Trumpism. He traced the narrative from his best‑selling works to a new children’s title, emphasizing that societies advance when strangers trust each other, not when they merely submit to dominance.

Harari contrasted the Trump administration’s claim that “strength and force govern the world” with centuries of evidence that cooperation fuels empire building and technological leaps. He warned that a world ruled by might forces every nation to divert resources to militaries, inflating defense budgets that now consume roughly 6‑7% of government spending, crowding out health and education.

The debate has implications for investors: sectors tied to defense may see sustained demand, while industries reliant on stable, cooperative international frameworks—such as tech, travel, and renewable energy—risk volatility if nationalist, force‑focused policies gain traction. Stakeholders should watch how political rhetoric reshapes fiscal priorities across economies.