The End of American Exceptionalism

In this article, the author argues that the United States is navigating a world order in which it cannot dictate global rules, because it is only one among other powers. According to the author, US policymakers have recognized that the nation’s international standing and foreign policy are in crisis, and today’s powerful economies outside the United States expect an equal say in shaping the international order; competitors like China and Russia have both asserted themselves in their geopolitical spheres. He also argues that America’s loss of global preeminence is not necessarily a story of decline but is a story of other nations catching up. Moreover, the author suggests that in today’s multipolar age, the United States has to return to the ideals of 1945 while adopting restraint based on its new status as a leading member of a community of powerful nations, but not the sole superpower.