US is increasingly governed by disruptive surprises

Washington

WE live in an age of disbelief. Many of the ideas and institutions that have underpinned Americans' thinking since the early years after World War II are besieged. There is an intellectual and political vacuum into which rush new figures (Donald Trump) and different ideas (America First). These new ideas and leaders may be no better than the ones they displace - they may, in fact, be worse - but they have the virtue of being new.

Almost everything about the American election defied belief, from Mr Trump's victory, to the Russian hacking of Democratic computers, to Mr Trump's numerous falsehoods and smears. Could this really be happening? The campaign recalled humorist Dave Barry's famous line, "I'm not making this up."