Once upon a time, a man named George Soros dreamed of a world remade in his image, where the powers that be would bow to his ideals and everything would go according to his master plan. However, much like a magician whose wand lost its magic, Soros finds himself stuck in a maze of his own making, leaving him less like George Soros and more like George Sorrows.
For years, George Soros has had his sights on India, dreaming of a “new” India aligned with his vision. His attempts to challenge and influence the Indian political landscape were about as subtle as an elephant tap-dancing in a china shop. Through funding various organisations, vocal criticism, and strategic alliances, Soros hoped to create an undercurrent of change against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
But Modi, the formidable leader with a blend of grassroots charm and shrewd political instincts, seems to have turned every “Soros-backed plot” into a springboard for another electoral victory. Modi didn’t just hold his ground; he expanded it, sending Soros’s “India project” spiralling down a path that has only fuelled Modi’s popularity. In a twist Soros surely didn’t see coming, Modi’s influence has solidified in the very regions Soros hoped would weaken him. The irony? His criticism made Modi stronger, turning the media tycoon into a political punching bag.
When it comes to Donald Trump, Soros seemed equally convinced that he could nudge America back into a realm more aligned with his worldview. After all, Trump’s unfiltered approach to everything from foreign policy to domestic issues stood in stark contrast to Soros’s vision of a “cosmopolitan America.” The billionaire philanthropist has been anything but shy about his aversion to Trump’s policies and demeanour.
However, if Soros’s influence were a currency, it’s now trading at an all-time low. As Trump has reclaimed the Oval Office, the “Resistance” that Soros has often propped up in some form is splintering under the weight of Trump’s popularity resurgence. A significant chunk of the American population has rallied around Trump once again, leaving Soros’s dream of an anti-Trump America looking more like a mirage.
In both India and America, Soros’s attempts to shape political landscapes seem to have backfired spectacularly. His money has flowed, his influence has been wielded, but his plans have, ironically, done more to cement the positions of the very figures he opposed. The name Soros, once whispered with reverence in some circles, now brings to mind a man defeated not by outside forces, but by the power of his own overreach.
For a man who staked his career on understanding financial markets, the “George Sorrows” story is a lesson in diminishing returns. His investments in campaigns against nationalist leaders have backfired, transforming his billion-dollar ideas into political fodder for the very movements he aimed to curb.
As the world watches Trump being re-elected as the President of the USA and Modi’s continued dominance, George Soros might want to pause and reflect. Sometimes, the biggest players are humbled not by their opponents, but by their own hubris. Perhaps he should finally consider what went wrong in his grand strategy—and why, for all his billions, he ended up with George Sorrows rather than George Soros, the world-changer he envisioned.
In the end, perhaps Sorrows is a reminder of the greatest irony of all: when you play kingmaker, sometimes you lose the crown.
