The President’s Inbox TPI Replay: The Case for Liberal Realism, With Charles A. Kupchan
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Dec 24, 2024 Charles A. Kupchan, a senior fellow at CFR and Georgetown University professor, shares insights on U.S. foreign policy amidst great power competition. He discusses the vital role of grand strategy in navigating a dynamic global landscape. Kupchan contrasts traditional and liberal realism, focusing on the intricate balance of power and domestic politics. He examines the U.S.'s evolution from isolationism to liberal internationalism and the challenges of operating in a multipolar world, advocating for a pragmatic approach that embraces both competition and cooperation.
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Grand Strategy Defined
- Grand strategy provides an intellectual architecture to guide statecraft, balancing ends and means.
- It involves applying available resources to achieve desired goals, informed by assumptions about the world.
Liberal Realism
- Kupchan identifies as a liberal realist, emphasizing power dynamics while acknowledging other factors' influence.
- He believes that while international rivalry is the default, peace is achievable through careful effort.
U.S. Grand Strategy Post-WWII
- Post-WWII U.S. grand strategy involved two phases: isolationism/strategic detachment and liberal internationalism.
- Kupchan argues that a new era requires a middle ground between these two approaches.
