The Foreign Service Journal, December 2021

12 DECEMBER 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL global democratic renewal. The initia- tive comes as the world is experiencing a 15-year democratic decline, thanks to the “unchecked brutality of autocratic regimes and the ethical decay of democratic pow- ers,” according to democracy watchdog FreedomHouse. Given the state of democracy around the world and our own affairs here at home, maybe it’s time to examine the role that the United States can realistically expect to play in the effort to energize and expand global democracy. The United States, founded on democratic principles we have proudly promoted, should be the logical choice to lead the march. The State Department’s website notes that democracy promotion has been “a central goal of U.S. foreign policy” for more than 200 years; America traditionally has been the standard by which other democracies are judged. It stands to reason that America’s finger should plug the hole in the dike holding back the authoritarian flood. But will it?The summit comes as the world is questioning America’s own commitment to democracy: n While America calls for economic transparency overseas, October’s “Pandora Papers” leak of secret docu- ments revealed that laws in a number of states help wealthy individuals dodge taxes by concealing financial transactions. n The chaos and tragedy that sur- rounded America’s pullout from Afghanistan in August left many wondering whether the United States still has the stomach to fight for democracy. n The Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol pre- sented an image to the world of a frail and failing governmental system. n The events that fueled the Black Lives Matter movement, closely watched internationally, presented grim testimony that America has far to go to achieve its long-sought-after social equality. n A Pew Global Research Survey con- ducted last spring (in mostly Western European nations) found that only 17 percent of respondents felt the U.S. provides a good model of democracy. It’s a worrisome picture at home, too. A 2020 Pew survey found that 71 percent of Americans “believe elected officials do not care what people like them think,” and 59 percent of us are dissatisfied with how democracy is working here. Compounding the diplomatic chal- lenge, a poll earlier this year found that only 25 percent of Americans think pro- moting democracy should be a priority for U.S. foreign policy. Democracy promotion ranked last in the survey’s 20-item list of possible foreign policy priorities. Some experts agree. Last January, Atlantic Council Senior Fellow Emma Ashford wrote that America’s foreign- policy goals “are completely out of step with the realities of the country’s domestic political and economic dysfunction. How can the United States spread democracy or act as an example for others if it barely has a functioning democracy at home?” InMarch, Thomas Carothers and Frances Z. Brown of the Carnegie Endow- ment for International Peace agreed that the U.S. needs serious political reform. Our damaged democratic standing, they wrote, hurts our diplomacy by “[weakening] appeals fromU.S. officials to foreign coun- terparts to respect democratic norms.” However, they argue, this isn’t the time to step back from promoting democratic ideals: “The global condition of democ- racy is too dire for that.” Instead, “the Biden Administration can and should move forward with an active democracy support policy [but] eschew any tempta-