This book shows why idealism offers the soundest basis for U.S. policy. U.S. aid and trade, overseas broadcasts and educational exchanges, and crisis diplomacy have spread democracy throughout the world. We may be far from the day democracy is universal, asserts Muravchik, but we are approaching the day when it will be a global norm, in both theory and practice.
Preface to the Paperback Edition
Acknowledgments
Part I: The Strength of Democratic Ideals
The Potency of Ideas
The Renewal of American Spirit
Democracy as Foreign Policy
The Post-Communist World
Part II: Currents in American Foreign Policy
Isolationism
Pacifist Idealism
Democratic Internationalism
Part III: The Folly of Realism
The Morality of States and Individuals
Realism versus Democratic Idealism
The Critique of Idealism
The Geography of Interest
The Illogic of Cultural Relativism
Part IV: Neorealism
Academic Neorealism
Liberal Neorealism
Conservative Neorealism
Neopacifist Idealism
Part V: Is America in Decline?
Varieties of Declinism
The Main Lines of Declinism
Errors in Generalizations
Errors of Particulars
If the Declinists Are Right?
Part VI: Can Democracy Flourish Around the World?
Skeptics from All Sides
Special Cases?
The Growing Appeal of Democracy
Earlier Doubts about Democracy
Gradual Advance of Democracy
A Democratic Decline
Postwar Democratization
A Historical Pattern
Part VII: The Export of Democracy and the Force of Example
Impact of the American Revolution
Democratization of Britain
A Pull on Europe
Closer to Home
Postwar Influence
Part VIII: Imposing Democracy Through Military Occupation
Japan
Germany
Austria
And Elsewhere
Lessons from Military Occupations
Part IX: Covert Action
Postwar Europe
Congress for Cultural Freedom
Scope of Covert Actions
Evaluation of Covert Operations
The Reagan Doctrine
Part X: Crisis Diplomacy
The Philippines
Haiti
Dominican Republic
Nicaragua
Iran
Panama
China
U.S. Balance Sheet
Part XI: Foreign Aid
Rebuilding Europe and Asia
Institutionalization of Foreign Aid
Changes in Development Economics
Building Democratic Institutions
Security Assistance
Free Market Development Strategies
Part XII: Overseas Broadcasting and Exchanges
Broadcasting
Educational Exchanges
Telling Democracy's Story
Part XIII: The National Endowment for Democracy
NED's Operation
Beginnings of NED
Support for Elections
Target Countries
Types of Programs
Aid to Democrats
Support for NED
Involvement of the Private Sector
Part XIV: Conclusion
A Continuation
A Choice of Methods
Our Priority