In World Leadership I explain how managing the four leadership power sources better than rivals is one way a society becomes the leader. The four leadership power sources are military strength, wealth, population, and foreign reach. These interact with each other to position a society for influence. Foreign reach, the last one, is the ability and will of one society to insert itself into the culture and way of life of another society. It could take the benign form of having one’s music played on another society’s radio stations. It could also take the malicious form of one society launching false information campaigns to disrupt another society’s elections. Either way, foreign reach is an essential component of leadership power.
In January 2018, Gallup released its annual poll of foreign opinions of American leadership. Being perceived favorably gives the United States an advantage. Unfortunately, world opinion of American leadership fell 18 points between 2016 and 2017. Across the 134 countries surveyed, the median approval rating fell to 30%, placing it roughly on par with China (31%). The disapproval rating rose 15 points to 43%, the first time in eleven years that disapproval exceeded approval. Reasons for this drop are generally linked to the Trump administration’s rhetoric and policies. Certainly, calling other nations “shitholes” doesn’t breed warm feelings. However, the administration’s America First policy, which harkens back to isolationism through, among other things, increased tariffs and withdrawal from international accords, is perhaps the greatest factor.
The long-term impact of lost foreign reach will be staggering for America if it persists. It amounts to ceding the floor to the next in line, most likely China or Russia. And once gone, leadership is hard to reacquire. If America has truly decided that it no longer wants to be the world leader, then it would at least make more sense to be consistent about it by cutting defense spending and using those funds for other needs. As it is, America appears to be working against itself.
Realistically, the United States could tolerate this position for four years. However, after eight years (let alone twelve or sixteen) America’s position could be permanently compromised. Perhaps it is time for America to do some soul-searching: Do we really want to lose our position? Is that in our best interest, the best interest of our children, the best interest of the world?
3 Responses
[…] its Northern Fleet. Exploiting the NSR increases Russia’s wealth, military strength, and foreign reach, which in turn increases its influence on the world […]
[…] Foreign reach is the ability of one society to insert itself, peaceably, into another society’s affairs. It is the leadership power that requires engaging directly with other societies. When the Trump Administration unilaterally pulled-out of multinational treaties, it did so at the expense of US foreign reach. After three years of opting-out, US influence around the world has eroded and other power centers, namely the EU and China, have begun to fill the void. […]
[…] the melting polar ice cap to increase its trade and influence around the world. We also noted how America loses foreign reach when it isolates itself from the rest of the […]