Dynamics of the Polycrisis (Video, Part 2)

By Jeremy Brecher, Dominick Conidi

 April 4, 2026

Source: Originally published by Z. Feel free to share widely.

Whatever happened to the “polycrisis”?

A couple of years ago it was the buzzword of the world, describing a concatenation of interacting crises that aggravated each other and made solutions appear impossible. In the year since the inauguration of Donald Trump his words and actions have so dominated world events that discussion of the polycrisis has atrophied. But the polycrisis is alive and well and massively aggravated by Trump’s aggressive and erratic behavior.

This commentary, and the following two, trace the development of the polycrisis in the Trump era, examine the intensification of its dynamics, look at its possible outcomes, and give a preliminary perspective on how it might eventually be quelled.

Watch Part 1 here.

Credits:

• Author: Jeremy Brecher
• Narration & Video Production: Dominick Conidi
• Original text transcript published by ZNetwork.org and the Labor Network for SustainabilityEmail

Jeremy Brecher

Jeremy Brecher is a historian, author, and co-founder of the Labor Network for Sustainability. He has been active in peace, labor, environmental, and other social movements for more than half a century. Brecher is the author of more than a dozen books on labor and social movements, including Strike! and Global Village or Global Pillage and the winner of five regional Emmy awards for his documentary movie work.