Domestic Politics and the Global Balance

Abstract

The weakness of American global leadership underscores the primacy of domestic politics. The same forces are at work in Europe and elsewhere. The result is progressive world disorder as national governments turn away from multilateral institutions and partnerships to satisfy powerful domestic constituencies. This shift comes at a cost in terms of effective policymaking at home and abroad at a time when effective international cooperation has never been more important. The challenges to be faced, from climate change to globalisation, can only be tackled in concert. If American and European policymakers are to lead these efforts, they must first rebuild domestic support for multilateral cooperation. Strong domestic agendas, such as the European Union’s ‘Next Generation EU’, are a step in the right direction, but they need to be married to a clear conception of the national interest in promoting world order.