A New Foreign Policy: Beyond American Exceptionalism by Jeffrey Sachs

By Joel Wong

American Exceptionalism is the idea that the United States of America is a unique and even morally superior country for historical, ideological, or religious reasons. It also implies that the US has a special role and responsibility in the world. Here are some pros and cons of this concept.

Pros:

• American exceptionalism can inspire patriotism, pride, and unity among Americans, and foster a sense of identity and purpose.
• It can encourage innovation, creativity, and leadership in various fields, such as science, technology, culture, and business.
• It can also justify and support the US’s involvement and intervention in international affairs, especially when it comes to defending its allies, interests, and values.

Cons:

• American exceptionalism can breed arrogance, ignorance, and isolationism among Americans, and alienate them from other cultures and perspectives.
• It can provoke resentment, hostility, and opposition from other countries, especially those that have different values, interests, and aspirations.
• It can impose a heavy burden and cost on the US, both domestically and internationally. It can strain the US’s resources, economy, and society, and expose the US to various risks and challenges.

In 2018 Jeffrey Sachs published a book named “A New Foreign Policy: Beyond American Exceptionalism” that claimed that while the US remains a military giant and an economic powerhouse, it no longer dominates the world economy or geopolitics as it once did. The current turn toward nationalism and ‘America first’ unilateralism in foreign policy will not make America great.”

In this book, Sachs criticizes the US foreign policy that is based on the idea that America is a unique and indispensable nation and has the right and duty to intervene in other countries’ affairs. He argues that this approach is costly, ineffective, and hypocritical, and that it undermines the global cooperation and multilateralism that are needed to address the major challenges of the 21st century, such as climate change, poverty, and pandemics.

He proposes a new foreign policy that is based on the principles of sustainable development, international law, and human rights, and that seeks to build a multipolar world that is more peaceful, prosperous, and fair. He also offers some concrete suggestions on how to reform the UN, the IMF, the World Bank, and other international institutions to make them more democratic and representative.

Jeffrey Sachs urges our country to abandon its exceptionalist mindset and to join the rest of the world in pursuing a common vision for the future of humanity.