Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Several factors explain why a growing number of regimes are adopting outwardly more democratic political systems: the loss of appeal of socialist systems during the 1990s, the creation of newly independent states, and the corresponding need felt by an increasing number of governments to legitimize themselves in the eyes of their citizens and of the international community.
After the 9/11 attacks and the rash of anthrax mailings, renewed attention is being paid to the risks posed by weapons of mass destruction (WMD) falling into the hands of additional states and nonstate actors. The vast majority of scenarios involving WMD proliferation invariably stems from the current insecurity characterizing the state of the Russian WMD complex, particularly its nuclear complex.
Last week, the Chinese navy seized a Taiwanese freighter carrying provisions to Taiwanese soldiers stationed on the tiny Taiwanese island of Matsu a few miles off the coast of the Chinese mainland. The current Chinese military activities may not be mere gestures designed to intimidate Taiwan and the U.S. They may well be the opening phase of a serious military confrontation.
The official U.S. posture of prostration before Beijing -- the China hands call it "engagement" -- would be merely pitiful, perhaps even amusing, were it not so dangerous. But the Clinton administration is now applying its strategy of appeasement to the brewing crisis over Taiwan, and the result may be to hasten the military conflict the administration is trying to avoid.
Taiwan's President Li Teng-hui sent the American foreign policy establishment into a nervous frenzy last week when he declared that Taiwan would henceforth negotiate with China as one state to another. By carefully stripping away the absurd fictions of the "one-China" policy, President Li is actually doing all concerned a big favor.
Although the immediate effects of economic and social reforms on current income distribution in Latin America may not be that strong, they are likely to have the long-run effect of increasing intergenerational social mobility.
Roundtable Discussion on naturalization decisions in Canada and the United States
The congressional Republican party hit bottom last week. A majority of Republican House members cast two deeply irresponsible votes on the U.S. military action against Yugoslavia. No amount of Republican support for increased defense spending can cover up the shame of that vote. As GOP presidential front runner, Bush should lead and reiterate his position that America must win this war.
Globalization, for all its benefits, also creates a risk of increasing inequality, as much or more in developing countries as in today's industrialized countries. High inequality makes the design and implementation of good social policy difficult. However, despite this, Latin America has a reason to be optimistic.