Conversations with Tyler Walter Russell Mead on the Past and Future of American Foreign Policy
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Oct 5, 2022 
Walter Russell Mead, a foreign policy expert and columnist for The Wall Street Journal, shares his insights on the evolution of U.S. foreign policy. He discusses how the decline of American religiosity has affected policy decisions and compares various presidents’ understanding of the Middle East. Mead analyzes Stalin's strategic support for Israel during the Cold War and explores the geopolitical dynamics in regions like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He critiques the academic influence on policy-making and highlights key traits to identify future leaders in foreign affairs.
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Benefits of Hegemony
- Working-class Americans benefit from American hegemony by avoiding major disruptions like World War II.
- Losing hegemony could lead to significant negative consequences for this group.
Impact of Declining Religiosity
- Declining religiosity in the U.S. weakens societal coherence and individual psychological strength.
- This makes foreign policy more challenging by increasing existential fear and dissolving social bonds.
Party Differences on Foreign Policy
- Democrats prioritize soft power and learned lessons from Vietnam, emphasizing diplomacy over military intervention.
- Republicans see hard power as more effective and were less impacted by the Vietnam War's cultural consequences.
