I have a confession to make. I feel a kind of paralysis as we approach the American presidential election. Whether it’s the fate of Ukraine, peace in the Middle East, competition with China, or the broader question of America’s role in the world, too much depends on who will next occupy the White House. A Donald Trump presidency would be very different from a Kamala Harris presidency, and polls continue to show that Americans are deeply divided over which way to choose between the two. The major players in global crises, from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seem to be waiting to see who wins before taking action. Perhaps that’s why it’s so hard to look beyond November 5 and imagine how a range of conflicts and problems might play out.
I have a confession to make. I feel a kind of paralysis as we approach the American presidential election. Whether it’s the fate of Ukraine, peace in the Middle East, competition with China, or the broader question of America’s role in the world, too much depends on who will occupy the White House next. A Donald Trump presidency would be very different from a Kamala Harris presidency, and polls continue to show that Americans are deeply divided over which way to choose. The major players in global crises, from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seem to be waiting to see who wins before taking action. Perhaps that’s why it’s so hard to look beyond November 5 and imagine how a range of conflicts and problems might play out.
Four years ago, our Fall 2020 print issue attempted to examine what we called “The most important election of all time.“We didn’t know we’d find ourselves at a similar crossroads in 2024. Yes, Harris replaced US President Joe Biden as the Democratic leader, but many of the stakes—for the US and the world—remain the same. Columnist Michael Hirsh wrote a cover essay for us on 2020; this time we asked him to contrasting visions presented by Harris and Trump.
But back to that paralysis: What happens after November 5? For starters, there is little guarantee that the American public will respect the results of the election. Even if we imagine a day when Americans agree on who will lead them for the next four years, the question is how the next president should unite a polarized electorate and what issues should be his priority.
It’s a dilemma we set out to address in our Dear America series. Nine leading thinkers with deep experience in global politics have written nonpartisan letters of advice to the next White House—and to Americans. With the United States no longer the world’s sole hegemon, each examines how Washington should address the critical challenges facing our planet.
Political scientist Joseph S. Nye Jr., who popularized the term “soft power” in this magazine more than three decades ago, explores how the next president can restore the United States’ standing in the world. “Political values are only attractive if a country respects them,” he wrote. “The preaching of democracy abroad will be judged by its practice at home.” Arancha González, former Spanish foreign minister, builds on this with a call “We need to invest in a shield that would protect and preserve democracy for future generations.” Such a task, she says, will require strengthening electoral systems, regulating social media and strengthening cybersecurity.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz asserts respect for the rules“We have an international trading order that imposes rules against the poor and the weak… but in which the United States can do whatever it wants,” he writes, referring to the way Washington has lobbied the World Trade Organization to serve American interests. Mark Malloch-Brown, a former deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, now based in London, supports that “What’s good for the United States is more than ever good for the rest of the world. (…) There is a dangerous divergence.” The solution, according to Malloch-Brown, is for Washington to reverse its current multilateral posture and become more of a team player. A sentiment echoed thousands of miles away in Singapore, where researcher Danny Quah calls the United States “We want America to be present in our world, just as we want China to be present,” Quah said.
Our letter writers don’t always agree with each other. But we felt they all had one thing in common, born out of their many years in public policy: a deep love for America and a desire to see it become more of a force for good. Other contributors include: Nirupama Raoformer Indian Foreign Minister; Catherine Ashtonformer foreign policy chief of the European Union; Martin Kimaniformer Kenyan Ambassador to the United Nations; and Jason Bordoffformer energy policy official in the Obama administration. The next White House – and American voters – would do well to heed their advice as they consider the tough choices that lie ahead.
There is much more information in this issue, including a unique ranking of The World’s Best International Relations ProgramsNo one can predict the state of the world in 2025, but here at Foreign policyWe can at least help the next generation of policy makers figure out where to go to school.
As always,
Ravi Agrawal