Meaning is simply usage...in the mathematical sense, Von Neumann's definition may be what is technically a zero sum game, but in general political and economic

Meaning is simply usage...in the mathematical sense, Von Neumann's definition may be what is technically a zero sum game, but in general political and economic discussions, zero sum game does have a clear and fairly precise meaning. In general discussion then, a zero sum game is some game or other activity in which resources are not grown or created but simply moved between different parties or re-allocated such that when someone wins, someone else loses. I would argue that it's EXTREMELY important that we understand that meaning as I think it's the cornerstone of Trump's world-view. He comes from a deal-mentality driven business i.e. you negotiate to your advantage. For most of his real estate purchases, no value was created, his value was simply that he negotiated a better deal. He has negotiated some amazing deals from what I have seen, ridiculously cheap prices for some properties. The problem with this worldview is that you see the world in terms of winners and losers, not as a dynamic shifting environment. So if you ban coal, for example, then coal miners have lost out...you don't see that they could all and probably do have jobs in solar energy, which incidentally is work that doesn't severely cripple their health. It's a mentality that you can negotiate your way to wealth. While that can work for an individual, it will not work for a country let alone the world!