Populists and Authoritarians Have Taken Over the World Economy

Almost 70 percent of the world’s most important economies is under the control of populist governments or non-democratic regimes, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Economics.

The dramatic shift for Group of 20 nations -- from just 33 percent of their combined output in 2016 -- reflects in part the election of Donald Trump as president of the U.S. In 2018, the populist podium expanded to governments in Italy and Brazil. Over the longer term, a major factor has been the rise of China and the growth of its economy.