US Grand Strategy from Theory to Practice

As part of the JHU/APL Rethinking Grand Strategy & Foreign Policy Seminar Series Mr. Walter Russell Mead (Council on Foreign Relations) discussed whether we are shifting from a unipolar to a multipolar world and the implications for global security and US force requirements. See www.jhuapl.edu/rethinking for bulletized notes and more Rethinking Seminar videos.

[@stoshdexter8220]

I like the idea that we operate on reverse entropy; from the chaos of influencing forces comes a functioning order to our global system. It all relies on our vested interest in creating a better life. Rational self-interest is the hidden parameter.

[@aon10003]

Thanks its an eyeopener.

[@KipIngram]

I have to make a comment on your point #1. Open society. Clearly this is a good idea. Most people think of it as having a government that doesn't persecute or ostracize people for their ideas and opinions and ways of life. It's a good start. But government is not the only form of centralized power. These days we have powerful business entities that have direct influence on our lives. They too should be prohibited from such persecution. And finally, and this is my real point, we have a *society* that can operate in highly organized ways now that we've invented the internet. I would argue that social media organized cancel culture is an equally dangerous form of persecution - it's a form of the "tyranny of the majority" - and *also* needs to be prevented. Lest you think I'm arguing that there should be no limitations on what people say online, that's not the case. We've always had limitations on people's behaviors (can't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater, etc.) There should be rules. Fortunately, we already have a rule book - it's called the Constitution. My position is that all large entities - be they governments, business, or even "informal organizations that form online" should be subject to the same Constitutional limitations on their ability to single out groups and individuals for punitive treatment. Social media is very new (even situations where large business entities have such direct influence on people's lives, like KZbin, Facebook Twitter, etc. is still a rather new situation), and it's understandable that we wouldn't get this right on the first try. But we eventually need to get it in hand. Deliberate organized attempts to bring adverse consequences to a person or group, for merely holding an unpopular opinion, needs to stop. And if we can't stop it, we risk losing all the wonderful things you're talking about here. Our Founders gave us a wonderful gift in the Constitution. We need to honor in all walks of life - public and private sectors.

[@LeoWhalen1933]

It's cancel "culture" not cancel "business" or cancel "industry." I never stopped listening to or watching Louis CK. That's because ultimately his brand can't be stopped.

[@TheEmptySki]

CFR and State put together US grand strategy in 1939-1941 in what is called the war and peace studies project; control all shipping and resources outside of Europe and the USSR, create international hegemonic institutions IMF and WB to do so, and the only component that has been added is control over reserve credit creation by means of oil distribution. The politically correct notion of "democracy" is what is distorting Mead's perspective. Democracy has very little to do with the mechanical operations of bureaucracies which is why he downplays the role of bureaucrats. Democracy is inconsequential for high level planning. He doesn't give enough credit to the people who did create the US system (A. and JF Dulles, Jacob Viner, Harry D White, etc.) Sure, they are not Kant or Bismark, but they accomplished what they planned and it took over 30 years to make it happen.

[@KipIngram]

31:30 - Well, wait; let's be clear on why Bretton Woods went down the way it did. Yes, we offered all those perks to the world. But there was a catch. The catch was that they had to form an alliance with us against the Soviet Union. Bretton Woods was a *security* move. By bribing Europe into an alliance, we eliminated the possibility of the Soviet Union picking off the nations of Europe one by one over the following decades. And, it WORKED. But it wasn't some high-minded altruism that was motivating us. It was pure geopolitical strategy. The fact that it ushered in the greatest period of growth the world has ever known was a perk. We didn't even participate in world trade to any huge extent, as a portion of our GDP.

[@alesh2275]

Watching this in mid February 2020 and reflecting on the changes that was introduced by Trump’s election in 2016

[@mogligondorff8700]

I'd rethink the car crash metaphor if I was him.

[@maximpopov8651]

The Golden Era of Liberal Democracy 💙

[@youngcharles7682]

USA had Grand Strategy against Soviet during Cold war. You have wrong global domination policy like Renism hoping for every country democratic regime. so, You assist China very stronly so that they will adapt Democracy instead of Communism. but their mind is totally different cause you are empiror against China. USA is 25years old young Super Power only. I hope you will have great strategy for USA & Ally.

[@CarlRoberts-ji8mw]

America logical.ideology is questionable wrong.from conseption 😮😮

[@CarlRoberts-ji8mw]

Get.rich by Any means necessary ideology.😊😊😊😂😂😂

[@fmalcall07]

Walter Mead says that America does not have a grand foreign policy strategy. His Democratic Party does not have a grand foreign policy strategy because it does not think America should lead the world, and that is the problem. The Republican Party is consistent.

[@blablabubles]

He is not a Democrat.

[@tonybooth4]

And now in 2022?

[@yeuemxuatdoi]

America can't even lead itself. With $34 trillion in debts, 600k homeless, old infrastructure. It's time to withdraw the hundreds of military bases around the world, cut its $1 trillion budget, and use the capitals to upgrade America.

[@KipIngram]

And ultimately the bottom line is that an open society is... just the right thing to do.

[@dereksuperstrong1210]

Ok. Saw this in 2013 watched it again in 2Q2Q. TRUMP for KING

[@tonybooth4]

But Trump is an isolationist.

[@yeuemxuatdoi]

Omg, trump isn't just chaostic but old. He has some years left, and should contemplate on his last years on earth.