A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order

After reviewing the origins of the modern state system and the post-World War II world order, Republican foreign policy stalwart Haass (president, Council on Foreign Relations; Foreign Policy Begins at Home) lays out what foreign policies the United States should pursue. Haass describes how "disarray" has replaced the former Great Power World Order. In this environment of disorder, he analyzes how both nations and nonstate actors will continue to challenge the United States for the remainder of the 21st century. Most importantly, Haass contends, wide acceptance that nations have "sovereign obligations" must balance respect for sovereign rights. Nations have a responsibility to the rest of the world in their internal and external behavior because the world is so closely interconnected. In Haass's view, this duty applies to the United States, where the excessive national debt and political dysfunction, for example, so affects the rest of the world. Interestingly, Haass supports free trade, NATO, and immigration reform—concepts that have lost popular and political support in recent times.