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A Dangerous Void

Veronica Ortiz Ortega
A Dangerous Void

The United States is exiting “of their own accord”, leaving allies and friends, especially Europe, to stand alone.

The international image of the United States and its government has been eroded in the last two years. In Russia, Germany, France, Canada, and Mexico, two-thirds of the population disapprove of the United States. Only the people of Israel, the Philippines, and South Korea hold a majority positive opinion of the country. These statistics come from the 2018 Global Attitudes and Trends Survey released this week by the Pew Research Center.

The decline in the United States' popularity began 25 years ago, but after Trump’s election, it has decreased at a dramatic rate. The survey results, collected in 25 countries, are truly interesting. Two of its findings are particularly worth noting. First, the survey found that China is seen as the most influential country in the world in the last decade (according to 70% of those surveyed), followed by Russia, Germany, and the United States (which received a top ranking from only 31% of those polled). However, the second noteworthy point is that even despite these results, 63% of the poll’s sample group thinks that the U.S. leadership is beneficial for the world, while 19% thinks the same about China.

These survey results add another layer to my reflections from 15 days ago regarding the central theme of conversation here in Washington D.C.: the threat posed by non-democratic regimes and the United States' withdrawal from the international stage.

In that article, I talked about former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and her powerful warning call: that democracies are being corroded due to the reemergence of a “doctrine of fury and fear.” A similar warning came from Robert Kagan, a Republican journalist, historian, and writer. His latest book “The Jungle Grows Back,” describes the United States' weakening role as the promotor of the international liberal order and guarantor of international peace. He illustrates the erosion of the international liberal system, citing Earnest Hemingway who explains that at first one goes bankrupt slowly, then all at once. 

Kagan argues that the wave of democratization after the post-war period, achieved with the explicit backing of the United States, is not a natural phenomenon nor the culmination of an evolutionary process. More than seven decades of relative trade freedom, gradual respect of human rights, and increasing global cooperation – essential elements of the liberal order – have been, in fact, a “historical aberration.” Liberal ideals do not survive on their own, not even inside the United States. They require an active political effort and a long-term commitment. However, the United States is voluntarily withdrawing from the international order, leaving friends and allies, especially Europe, alone. As a result, antidemocratic forces are being revived and naturally seeking to fill the void left by the United States.

Pew Research Center’s study shows the confusion generated by the United States' absence as a global guarantor of stability and certainty. The question, which my colleague José Carreño asked in these same pages, is “without the U.S., what is next?”. The outlook is quite discouraging.

The views expressed here are solely those of the author. This article was originally published on El Heraldo de Mexico.

About the Author

Veronica Ortiz Ortega

Verónica Ortiz-Ortega

Political Analyst, El Heraldo de México and Canal del Congreso
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Mexico Institute

The Mexico Institute seeks to improve understanding, communication, and cooperation between Mexico and the United States by promoting original research, encouraging public discussion, and proposing policy options for enhancing the bilateral relationship. A binational Advisory Board, chaired by Luis Téllez and Earl Anthony Wayne, oversees the work of the Mexico Institute.   Read more