The global order is at stake in November

The choice between Trump and Harris is not an illegitimate one — but the choosers should be aware of the implications for the world

By Robert Hamilton and Dan Perry

A vote by the citizen of a superpower affects the entire world. So Americans’ choice between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in November will reverberate far beyond US borders. That is true whether or not they are aware, and whether or not they even care.

And at the core, the election is to a fascinating degree not just a horserace or a clash of personalities but a choice between two views of what America is — and what it should be on the global stage. Until recently, that was far less the case. Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were not that far apart on global issues.

The first view, represented by Harris, is an America that is a guiding light to the world, shaping the global order in a way that brings material and other benefits but requires a commitment that can involve a heavy price in lives and treasure. This version of America seeks not just advantage (though it does), but also stands for principles that attach to democracy, freedom and economic opportunity for all.

The Trump version of America realistically stands for nothing except elf-enrichment and will incline toward “strong leaders” — like Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev and even Russia’s Vladimir Putin — and ignore or ridicule liberal democracies. But as the possessor of the strongest militaries and economy on earth, it has considerable power. It will be loved by few but perhaps feared by more.

Below is a link to a discussion the two of us recently help on the topic, at the Applied Policy Research Institute in Yerevan, following by a regional breakdown of what’s at stake for each global region.