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{
  "authors": [
    "Thomas Carothers"
  ],
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  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
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  "englishNewsletterAll": "democracy",
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  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
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    "Democracy, Conflict, and Governance"
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Source: Getty

In The Media

Exporting Freedom?

The United States must balance its goal of democracy promotion with its economic, political, and security interests.

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By Thomas Carothers
Published on Nov 5, 2012
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Democracy, Conflict, and Governance

The Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program is a leading source of independent policy research, writing, and outreach on global democracy, conflict, and governance. It analyzes and seeks to improve international efforts to reduce democratic backsliding, mitigate conflict and violence, overcome political polarization, promote gender equality, and advance pro-democratic uses of new technologies.

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Source: RT CrossTalk

Speaking on RT’s Crosstalk, Carnegie's Thomas Carothers explained that the United States is always struggling to balance its goal of democracy promotion with its economic, political, and security interests. He argued that the resulting policy inconsistencies do not diminish the overall significance of U.S. democracy assistance, which has been substantial. The United States is part of a wider network of established democracies engaging in democracy assistance around the world, Carothers added. Rather than seeking direct regime change, the majority of these efforts aim at strengthening existing political reform efforts.

About the Author

Thomas Carothers

Harvey V. Fineberg Chair for Democracy Studies; Director, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program

Thomas Carothers, director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, is a leading expert on comparative democratization and international support for democracy.

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Thomas Carothers
Harvey V. Fineberg Chair for Democracy Studies; Director, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Thomas Carothers
Political ReformDemocracyForeign PolicyNorth AmericaUnited StatesMiddle East

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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