American Retrenchment? Consequences for a Future World Order

American pre-eminence has been a defining feature of the post-Cold War international system. Tied to American power has been the concept of a liberal international order, defined by common interests, shared values, mutual protection and economic advancement. But with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the underlying rationale for this arrangement has been somewhat undermined and competing powers, such as a rising China and a revanchist Russia, has meant that Western policymakers are seemingly finding themselves confronted by a world of heightened geopolitical competition.

While the United States remains the world’s foremost global military and economic power, the liberal international order in which it is a cornerstone, has come under severe pressure over recent years. Can America and its allies defend a reformed liberal global order? Is there the desire to do so in the current administration? Are any realistic alternatives emerging from Europe or China? And how might a multipolar international order affect global security?