Articles by: "Joseph S Nye"
Geopolitics after the pandemic

There is no single future until it happens, and any effort to envision geopolitics in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic must include a range of possible futures. I suggest five plausible futures in 2030, …

Brent Scowcroft remembered

Brent Scowcroft, who died on 6 August, aged 95, was the model of a modern lieutenant general. A graduate of West Point whose career as a fighter pilot was cut short by a broken back …

Technology is driving another global power shift

Since 2017, America’s national security strategy has focused on great-power competition, and today much of Washington is busy portraying our relationship with China as a new cold war. Obviously, great-power competition remains a crucial aspect …

After the liberal international order

Many analysts argue that the liberal international order ended with the rise of China and the election of US President Donald Trump. But if Democratic challenger Joe Biden defeats Trump in November’s election, should he …

Trump and Xi have failed the leadership test

Leadership—the ability to help people frame and achieve their goals—is absolutely crucial during a crisis. Winston Churchill demonstrated that while leading Britain in 1940, as did Nelson Mandela during South Africa’s transition from apartheid. By …

What is a moral foreign policy?

Many Americans say they want a moral foreign policy but disagree on what that means. Using a three-dimensional scorecard encourages us to avoid simplistic answers and to look at the motives, means and consequences of …

Trump’s transactional myopia

US President Donald Trump’s attacks on unfair Chinese trade and technology policies may have been justified, but his tactics have damaged the alliances and institutions on which the United States depends. Will the short-term gains …

Why morals matter in foreign policy

When I told a friend I had just written a book on morality and foreign policy, she quipped, ‘It must be a very short book.’ Such scepticism is common. An internet search shows surprisingly few …

Eight norms for stability in cyberspace

In little more than a generation, the internet has become a vital substrate for economic, social and political interactions, and it has unlocked enormous gains. Along with greater interdependence, however, come vulnerability and conflict. Attacks …