The Predatory Hegemon | Foreign Affairs. Really!

Big words used here by a talking head from the ivory tower to describe President Trump!

"Stephen M. Walt

STEPHEN M. WALT is Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School. A leading proponent of the neorealist school of international relations"

"Ever since Donald Trump first became U.S. president, in 2017, commentators have searched for an adequate label to describe his approach to U.S. foreign relations. Writing in these pages, the political scientist Barry Posen suggested in 2018 that Trump’s grand strategy was “illiberal hegemony,” and the analyst Oren Cass argued last fall that its defining essence was a demand for “reciprocity.” Trump has been called a realist, a nationalist, an old-fashioned mercantilist, an imperialist, and an isolationist. Each of these terms captures some aspects of his approach, but the grand strategy of his second presidential term is perhaps best described as “predatory hegemony.” Its central aim is to use Washington’s privileged position to extract concessions, tribute, and displays of deference from both allies and adversaries, pursuing short-term gains in what it sees as a purely zero-sum world.

Given the United States’ still considerable assets and geographic advantages, predatory hegemony may work for a time. In the long run, however, it is doomed to fail. It is ill suited for a world of several competing great powers—especially one in which China is an economic and military peer—because multipolarity gives other states ways to reduce their dependence on the United States. ..."

The Predatory Hegemon | Foreign Affairs "How Trump Wields American Power"

Stephen M. Walt (Source)

The Myth of Virtuous Democracy

Recommendable!

"Soft power" explained by the man who coined it—remembering Joseph Nye (1937–2025)

Recommendable!

What causes severe corrosive effects in Western democracies and societies?

The misguided, obsessive pursuit of phony ideologies, pseudo religions, and wrong priorities in conflict to the aspirations of the majority of citizens.

When does it get really dangerous? When the eventual, ultimate corrective forces of democracy (the pendulum of democracy) are undermined or prevented.

Who is behind many of these efforts? The enemies of open societies, domestic and foreign!

Karl Popper published his book in 1945. It is still relevant at the end of the first quarter of the 21st century!

What is the greatest and most severest addiction of humans?

Power over other peoples lives! This addiction comes in many guises! 

Some of the worst addicted are so called do gooders! Those who like to pretend they are not doing this for themselves!

Many politicians are severely addicted. In particular those who want to be or have become lifetime career politicians are very suspect! This is one reason why term limits for politicians (and possibly for those who work in government) is such an important reform waiting to be instituted in Western democracies!

Abuse of power is probably the least diagnosed disease! Too many have it, Too many aspire to have power!

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men…" Lord Acton

Arthashastra - The Indian Il Principe published at least 1,200 years earlier

How much does the West know about India? I am afraid way too little!

Arthashastra - Wikipedia

The Two Sides Of Individual Liberty

Posted: 7/2/2018  Updated: 9/10/2018, 7/4/2018, 7/3/2018

Individual Rights & Duties

Individual liberty does not exist by itself, it comes with certain requirements. The two sides presented below are strictly complementary. You can not have one without the other. In particular the Other Side requires a lifelong and dedicated effort. Too many contemporary individuals expect to exercise their rights, but without the concomitant duties.

One Side	Other Side
Individual Liberty	Individual Responsibility
	Individual Self Reliance
	Individual Self Government (Discipline/Self Restraint)
	Individual Humility
	Individual Trust & Optimism
	Individual, Independent Thinking, Learning & Self Improvement

Many humans claim individual liberty for themselves, but ignore or even violate the Other Side. I call this the great conundrum of individual liberty. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Unfortunately, the ever bigger and growing government in Western democracies has increasingly destroyed the Other Side and thereby significantly reducing or maintaining little individual liberty. This is particularly and sadly true for the U.S.

Immanuel Kant On Individual Liberty

Immanuel Kant wrote a famous, short essay (published 1784): "Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-incurred immaturity." (German: Der Ausgang des Menschen aus seiner selbstverschuldeten Unmündigkeit). To this day, many humans have not yet emerged as Kant had wished for! The customary english translation of Kant’s famous essay title is incorrect, but I cannot come up with a better translation at the moment. But Kant surely referred e.g. to individual responsibility and individual, independent learning and thinking.

Great Individual Responsibility

With individual liberty comes great individual responsibility for oneself, others, and nature. If you make a mistake don’t blame anyone else, but admit it and correct it.

Too many contemporaries do not accept the attendant individual responsibility or they apply individual responsibility only very inconsistently.

Unfortunately, Western democracies have greatly ruined this aspect of individual liberty by e.g. way too lenient criminal or civil punishment! In other words, the elected representatives have chosen to rather absolve acts of individual irresponsibility.

Just a brief (hypothetical) example: Imagine for a moment, there were no speed limits, but only speed guidances for motor vehicle drivers. Then if someone drove say 30% over the speed guidance and injures fellow human beings what should his/her punishment be?

Individual Self Reliance

Individual self reliance does not mean that individuals do not voluntarily form or become members of associations to help each other. Individual self reliance does not deny or prevent charity towards others in need. Au contraire, individual liberty and responsibility strongly suggest to help where you can.

E.g. the modern welfare state is the opposite and a subversion of individual self reliance. It has greatly contributed to the destruction of individual liberty.

Individual Self Government

If you cannot e.g. control your passions and prejudices, then individual liberty is not for you!

Immodesty, self righteousness, overconfidence, and excessive pride are all enemies of individual liberty and run afoul of self government.

Famous Quotes About Government

Posted: 2/21/2014  Updated: 9/29/2016, 4/13/2015

Update Of 9/29/2016

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.

James Madison

The Federalist No. 51

February 6, 1788

Update Of 4/13/15

How could I forget to add Frederic Bastiat:

“The State is the great fiction through which everyone endeavours to live at the expense of everyone else.”

(The State in Journal des débats (1848) par. 5.20)

Original & Updated

1. “Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one”
   (Thomas Paine, 1776, Common Sense)
2. That government is best which governs least!
   (Source in question)

These two principles should be taught and explained to all children of the world!

The United States was founded on these principles, but has long since abandoned them!