The President’s Inbox A New U.S. Grand Strategy: The Case for Liberal Realism, With Charles A. Kupchan
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Jul 30, 2024 Charles A. Kupchan, a senior fellow at CFR and international affairs professor at Georgetown University, discusses U.S. grand strategy amidst great power competition. He emphasizes the need to blend traditional realism with domestic influences to adapt foreign policy. Kupchan explores the evolution from isolationism to liberal internationalism, the challenges of multipolarity, and U.S. relations with rising powers like China and India. Ultimately, he advocates for a coherent strategy that balances competition, cooperation, and internal political stability.
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Grand Strategy Defined
- Grand strategy provides a crucial intellectual framework for policymakers, guiding statecraft like a blueprint.
- It involves balancing strategic ends with available means, informed by assumptions about the world.
Grand Strategy Caveat
- Policymakers should adopt a grand strategy, but avoid rigidly adhering to potentially outdated principles.
- Nimble adaptation is crucial in a dynamic world.
Liberal Realism
- Kupchan identifies as a liberal realist, emphasizing power dynamics as the primary force in international relations.
- He acknowledges the normative and analytical importance of considering factors beyond the balance of power, like domestic politics and ideology.