Donald Trump's inauguration speech as president of the United States was true to form. He spoke of re-empowering the people of America and putting America first, claiming that his mission has the blessing of God.

However, as TV cameras scanned the tens of thousands of people assembled in front of the White House, it was striking that their facial expressions and applause lacked any sense of enthusiasm or joy. And the faces that did wear a smile, it appeared to be a smug smile rather than a happy one. Hopeful trepidation is a more appropriate description of the mood amongst Trump's voters. And fear and anger is the mood among his opponents. As for his presentation, the speech was delivered in a flat but nevertheless aggressive tone and style. Its menacing content was expressed less in his choice of words, tonal emphasis or rhetorical style, and more in his persona -- crude, arrogant, impulsive and rude.

As we know, Trump is a billionaire property tycoon. However, for the politician-character that he has manufactured, the open expression of prejudice and ignorance takes pride of place. He represents U.S. capitalism incarnate in the crudest sense: money and power are his Gods.

Under ideal capitalism, individuals with an entrepreneurial Geist transform a business idea into a profitable enterprise. However, they soon discover that their love and devotion to their business concept withers away and dies. This is because the success of the cherished commodity that the capitalist invents, nurtures, produces, markets and sells, is ultimately only measured by its profitability, i.e., when the money invested grows.

So the first love of the entrepreneur -- to make their idea into a successful commodity -- is automatically usurped by a love of money and its increase. Crude number crunching then takes command. However, this is a poor substitute for those long passionate nights when the entrepreneur first embraced their invention and showered it with love, kisses and devotion. Contrary to the myths prevalent in capitalist society, profit seeking and moneymaking do not bestow any virtues on their agents.

In our world, spending money is primarily a means to satisfy our needs, wants, desires and urges. And, paradoxically, those without money are those most likely to worship it. For billionaires like Donald Trump money is a means to buy power.

Trump thrives on outmanoeuvring and defeating competitors and on bringing enemies to heal. And he boasts of victories in business as if they were medals won on the corporate battlefield. His aggressive and crude sexual claims are a natural extension of this way of life.

Trump's presidency signals a huge step backwards for dreams of equality between the sexes, and thereby of equality within society. Over the past 30 years, the battle for sexual equality has produced extremely uneven results, both within countries and between them. In Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, where women were once free to study, work and participate in social life, a wave of sexual reaction designed to anchor male dominance over women and the family, operates under the guise of defending Islam. In Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union women's rights have been systematically undermined since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. During long years of economic dislocation in these countries many women were forced to become housewives. Their work in the home replaced much of the former state provision of childcare and healthcare.

In the United States progressive legislative changes advanced equality between the sexes. However, the economic circumstances of working class women did not improve. Indeed, on average, their wages remain 20 percent lower than that of men. This inequality between the sexes is exacerbated because the overwhelming burden of housework and childcare also falls onto the shoulders of women.

The fact that women are at the forefront of protests against President Trump is an important barometer of our times. It indicates the depth of social tension. The family is, at root, an economic entity, and marriage an economic contract. Outside of the workplace the family constitutes the basic cell form of social organization. It is required for effective labor exploitation and the reproduction of the working class itself.

We know from leaked recordings that Trump's reflex response on encountering beautiful women is to make advances to them and grope them. With such a well-known history of misogyny under his belt his presidency will almost certainly be dogged by many allegations of sexual crimes.

Sometimes the whip of reaction is a necessary precondition for an awakening of the masses to defend their rights. Let's hope this is the case now!

Heiko Khoo is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/heikokhoo.htm

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