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1925 Anti-Imperial Cartoon Resurfaces as Trump’s Tariffs Target China, India and Africa

Observers see the cartoon’s century-old critique of Western power reflected in today’s rise of China, India and Africa

Overview

  • Bob Minor’s 1925 Daily Worker illustration showing colossal figures of China, India and Africa overshadowing Western imperialists armed with whips has gone viral across social platforms.
  • President Trump’s steep tariffs, including a 25% reciprocal levy on Indian imports effective August 7 and a further increase slated for August 27, have reignited interest in the cartoon.
  • Commentators cite concrete developments—China’s Belt and Road Initiative, India’s booming IT and space sectors, and Africa’s demographic surge and resource growth—as evidence of the power shift the artwork predicted.
  • The image’s shadowy portrayal of Russia monitoring the scene has prompted analysis of Moscow’s potential role in emerging multipolar dynamics.
  • Stakeholders on LinkedIn and beyond, including RL Narayanan of CIIEE, have invoked historical strategy and called for economic countermeasures in response to perceived US overreach.