Leadership and the Rise of Great Powers

Buchzusammenfassung

Yan Xuetong is one of the world’s foremost experts on China’s foreign policy, national security, and US-China relations. He is dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, Beijing.

Leadership on the global stage varies widely, as seen in the contrasting approaches of Angela Merkel and Donald Trump. Merkel’s adherence to international norms aligns with the principles of humane authority, a leadership style that fosters global trust and stability. In contrast, Trump’s presidency is often categorized as anemocratic, marked by inconsistency and unreliability in upholding international standards. Global leadership can be divided into four types: humane authority, hegemonic, anemocratic, and tyrannical, each shaping international norms in distinct ways. While humane authority emphasizes moral integrity and credibility, hegemonic leadership often applies double standards, as seen during the Cold War. Anemocratic leaders, like Trump, exhibit erratic behavior, while tyrannical regimes, such as Nazi Germany, disregard morality entirely. The ability to establish moral authority is crucial for global credibility, as illustrated by Palestine’s moral stance gaining international support despite limited resources, contrasted with the U.S.’s diminished reputation following the 2003 Iraq invasion. Effective leadership also hinges on harmonizing military, economic, and cultural strengths, with the capacity for reform being a key determinant of sustained power. As the U.S. faces challenges from China’s rise, the global order is shifting from unipolar dominance to a likely bipolar system. However, this new dynamic differs from the Cold War, as China’s pragmatic reforms reduce the likelihood of ideological conflict. Amid declining international cooperation and weak leadership, the world faces uncertainty, but history shows that global norms are ever-evolving, shaped by the actions and examples of influential leaders.

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