The Three Political Camps Shaping Today’s Power Struggles
In today’s political landscape, three distinct camps are battling for influence and control. While these groups have existed for a long time, their differences are now becoming clearer—and more openly fought. If we take a closer look, we can better understand the forces behind current events, political shifts, and economic policies.
These three main political camps are:
- Nationalists
- The Status Quo / Globalists
- The Social Justice Camp
They each represent a different vision for society, power, and economics. And while they’ve sometimes worked together—or at least tolerated each other—that uneasy alliance is now breaking down.
Let’s break each one down, in plain language.
1. The Nationalists: “America (or Britain, or France) First”
This group is perhaps the easiest to spot today, especially in countries like the United States. Nationalists focus on protecting their own country’s interests—economically, culturally, and politically. They oppose global institutions, foreign influence, and what they see as unnecessary involvement in international conflicts or trade deals.
What they want:
- Strong borders
- Local jobs
- National pride
- Less interference from international organisations or global corporations
Their tools:
- Tariffs (taxes on imported goods)
- Immigration controls
- Patriotism and national identity
- “Anti-woke” rhetoric
This camp is most visibly represented by figures like Donald Trump. His “America First” slogan captured exactly what this group stands for: protect your own, even if it upsets international allies or businesses.
2. The Status Quo / Globalists: “Don’t Rock the Boat”
This camp includes many politicians, large corporations, media outlets, and financial institutions. It’s often called the “status quo” because its main goal is to keep the current system running smoothly. They favour global trade, stable financial markets, and “open” societies. They support free trade agreements and global cooperation because that’s how many of them make their money or gain influence.
What they want:
- A stable global economy
- Free movement of goods, money, and people
- Predictable policies
- No sudden changes (like tariffs or populist revolts)
Their tools:
- International trade agreements
- Big tech and financial power
- Lobbying
- Influence over media narratives
In recent years, this group cleverly adopted some of the language of the justice camp. Terms like “stakeholder capitalism” became popular—a way of saying, “We care about everyone, not just shareholders.” But many argue this was just a PR move. Behind the curtain, the main aim remained profit and control.
3. The Justice Camp: “Change the System”
The social justice movement is the most vocal when it comes to inequality, identity, and environmental issues. This camp wants to correct what it sees as deep-rooted injustices in society—whether it’s racism, sexism, climate damage, or economic inequality.
What they want:
- Racial, gender, and LGBTQ+ equality
- Climate action
- Corporate accountability
- Redistribution of wealth and power
Their tools:
- Grassroots protests
- Social media activism
- Cultural pressure (cancel culture, boycotts)
- ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) policies
This camp is energetic and emotional. Its members are often younger and idealistic. They push hard for immediate change and sometimes clash even with their supposed allies.
How They All Got Mixed Up—Until Now
For the past decade or more, it’s been hard to tell the status quo and justice camps apart. Why? Because big business and mainstream politics started borrowing the language of justice. They embraced diversity slogans, climate goals, and stakeholder capitalism—not because they believed in them, necessarily, but because it was good for image and profit.
This led to a kind of blurry alliance between globalists and justice warriors. But deep down, their interests were always different. One wants system stability, the other wants radical change. They just managed to paper over the cracks—for a while.
The Split is Now Out in the Open
What’s changed?
Trump and other nationalist leaders have forced the issue. By directly attacking the status quo—especially on trade and foreign policy—they’ve triggered reactions. The globalists are now pushing back harder, often aligning more openly with corporate power and traditional institutions. At the same time, justice activists are growing tired of symbolic gestures and want real change.
As a result, the old alliance is breaking. The once-united front of “progress” is now two separate camps again:
- The status quo, which wants things to stay mostly the same (but with a woke coat of paint).
- The justice camp, which wants to tear things down and rebuild.
Their split is especially visible on economic issues. For example, many big businesses oppose tariffs (because they hurt profits), while some social justice voices are starting to support more localised economies and worker protections—even if it means fewer corporate profits.
Why This Matters
This new clarity opens up new strategies—especially for nationalist leaders. By driving a wedge between the justice camp and the status quo, they can negotiate deals with big businesses (on things like manufacturing and jobs) while cutting the justice camp out of the equation.
It’s classic power politics. Divide and conquer.
And it’s working. As these camps fight among themselves, nationalists can position themselves as the only group offering a clear, cohesive vision.
What Comes Next?
It’s hard to say. These three camps are now all competing openly, and the battle lines are clearer than they’ve been in years.
- The nationalists want strong borders and local economies.
- The status quo wants global trade and business as usual.
- The justice camp wants fairness and radical change.
Who wins will depend on how the public reacts—and how much each camp is willing to compromise or fight.
For now, one thing is sure: the masks are off, and the power games are back on.
Key Takeaways:
- Three political camps dominate the scene: nationalists, status quo/globalists, and the social justice movement.
- The status quo camp used justice language (like ESG and stakeholder capitalism) to maintain power.
- The alliance between the globalists and justice groups is falling apart, especially on economic issues.
- Nationalist figures like Trump are exploiting this division to build new coalitions.
- Politics is once again about raw power—not just ideas or ideals.
This new phase of political struggle may feel chaotic, but it also offers clarity. For the first time in years, we can see where each group really stands. Whether you agree with one side or none, understanding the dynamics is essential. Because in the end, power follows those who can read the room—and act accordingly.
This article is a modern reinterpretation of David Priestland’s ‘Merchant, Soldier, Sage‘ framework.
