53rd Edition
Columnist Walter Russell Mead recently wrote a very interesting article in the Wall Street Journal titled, “A Distracted America Still Leads the World.” After reading it once, I knew I was going to respond, but I had to read it several times before my thoughts came together. Foreign policy and global leadership are complicated topics, and any serious discussion should incorporate relevant lessons from history going back centuries. It’s no small challenge to determine what are the most important aspects to focus on. It would be impossible in a blog of this length to cover every noteworthy topic. Nevertheless, here are a few thoughts that I hope are worth pondering.
Mead points out, and rightly so, that America’s secret weapon, so to speak, is capitalism. In his words it is, “the most disruptive and revolutionary social system in the history of the world.” The main point of his article is that the key to America’s continue world leadership is the dynamism and innovation produced by capitalism. Capitalism not only drives social and technological advancements, it also creates an environment where change is expected, even welcomed, spurring quick and efficient adaptation. In stark contrast, socialism and totalitarianism suffer from inertia, as the political elite fear any change that could threaten their power, resulting in economic stagnation and a decline in economic opportunity. Through innovation and new discoveries, capitalism tends to distribute power, or at the very least it challenges the powerful to embrace continuous improvement. We have witnessed that dynamic play out in the business sector since the Industrial Revolution.
While acknowledging our political polarization, social wars, and populist isolationism, Mead contends that capitalism will see us through these current struggles and America will remain the leader of the world. Perhaps he is right. Only time will tell. I thought it might be interesting to offer a few reasons why he might be prophetic then offer a few reasons why the future won’t unfold as he predicts. But first, I think it is important to discuss why it is important that America remains a global leader economically, but in arguably more important areas as well. First, and foremost, we have to lead from a moral perspective. We haven’t always fulfilled that role admirably, but that is still a national calling we simply have to embrace. Parallel to the call for moral leadership is the responsibility to promote peace throughout the world through military strength, skillful diplomacy, and a commitment to free trade. We haven’t always found the optimal balance here either, but again it remains a national calling. Why? Because if America doesn’t lead from a moral and peace-keeping perspective, who will? Both Russia and China covet global power, but more power in their hands will make the world less safe. It just isn’t a viable option from that perspective. So, with that being said, let’s move on to Mead’s predictions.
Why Mead might be right… As Winston Churchill famously stated, “Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else.” Despite all the political madness societal fracturing, and questionable leadership, America remains resilient. Perhaps that is our most important strength. We tend to figure it out and solve whatever problem we need to solve to move forward. The small-town sense of community, duty, and moral reasonableness, are still there, they just don’t make the nightly news or the mainstream media soundbites. Doing the right thing today, from an economic, social, and political perspective, might be incredibly complicated, but people figure it out, at least most do. Will that be enough to see us through today’s challenging times? Time will tell.
Why Mead might be wrong… America’s leadership has already slipped in several areas. Most notable is America’s continued decline in the Index of Economic Freedom to the lowest level in the 30-year history of the index. Why the decline? Could it be too much government regulation, spending, and federal debt? If economic freedom continues to wane in America, will capitalism lose some of its momentum and vitality? That seems inevitable to me. Meanwhile, as I have written in the past, America’s work ethic has slipped as well, replaced by an energy-sapping sense of entitlement. Worse over, disunity and mistrust continue to prevent us from reaching our full potential as a nation. We focus too much on what we are against instead of what we are for. If in fact historians eventually agree to call the period we are currently in, the age of decline in Pax Americana, unaccountable and inefficient government bureaucracy, a second-rate work ethic, and a lack of integrity, will likely share in the blame. Again, time will tell.
In the meantime, leadership could very well tip the scales of global power in either direction. Today, it seems we are putting Churchill’s famous quote to the test regarding our national leaders. It certainly seems like we have already tried everything else. Perhaps it is now time to do the right thing. I am hopeful we will… Once we figure out exactly what that is…
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Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.