Formation and evolution of the International Policy Paradigm of Z. Brzezinski in the Context of World Political Development in the Second Half of the 20th Century

Abstract

Research of achievements in the scientific and political sphere of one of the most prominent geostrategists of the 20th century, Z. Brzezinski, in particular – his personal contribution to the development of contemporary foreign policy of the United States, avails to gain a deeper understanding of the essence of US global leadership in the context of the global architecture of security and cooperation. It was found out how the global international political processes that took place in the second half of the 20th century influenced the formation of separate ideas, concepts, and later – the foreign policy paradigm of Z. Brzezinski, as well as what kind of changes/modifications it had undergone during the specified period. The reflection of these processes in scientific works and political activity of Z. Brzezinski, starting from his master’s work at McGill University and till period of writing «The Grand Chessboard» in 1997 has been analyzed. It is considered how the works, ideas and concepts of Dr. Z. Brzezinski were incorporated into the practice of foreign policy of the administrations of US residents in the years 1960–1990 of the last century. Particular emphasis is placed on the practical results of his work as National Security Advisor to the President J. Carter in the context of shaping the basic principles of the US foreign policy paradigm for a strategic perspective. The official documents of the US Presidents’ administrations, books, articles, speeches, interviews of Z. Brzezinski himself, as well as particular researches on his scientific and political heritage made by American researchers were used for this study. The analysis of the investigated materials in the context of world politics of this period avails to state that the fundamental principles of US world leadership, «peaceful engagement» and human rights, laid by Z. Bzerzinsky in his foreign policy paradigm in the late 1960’s, were in different ways implemented in the external US policies and remain the basis for the current United States strategy in this area. At the same time, the process of practical implementation of this paradigm was accompanied by its transformations and modifications as responses to existing and potential challenges and trends in world politics. Key words: Z. Bzerzinsky; geostrategy; USA; foreign policy paradigm; world primacy; peaceful engagement.