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How Democratic Revival Can Reboot the International System

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the debate over whether authoritarian states are gaining the upper hand across the world. In contrast, democracies are showing capacity for innovation and adaptation.

Managing relations with China once the COVID-19 crisis abates will be one of the biggest challenges facing political leaders in the United States and Europe – two of the areas worst-hit by the virus that originated in China.

From the moment President Trump succeeded in his 2016 election promise to deliver “Brexit times 10,” through to Boris Johnson’s election in July as the new leader of the Conservative Party and British prime minister (Trump has dubbed him “Britain Trump”), there has been a remarkable political symbiosis between the U.S. and Britain.

As necessary as it remains to improve rules-based systems, the future of international order will also rely on states engaging more creatively with a wider range of constituencies – from citizens and civil society to the private sector and local political actors.

In relations with Europe, President Trump has exposed pitilessly the fact that, while might may not be right, might generally wins.