The Crisis of Diplomacy - IIThe Crisis of Diplomacy - II

Crisis at the Top, Challenge from BelowCrisis at the Top, Challenge from Below

Split from WithoutSplit from Without

The Indochina consensus was broken by outside The Indochina consensus was broken by outside pressures, i.e., peasant resistance & student protestpressures, i.e., peasant resistance & student protest

Which led to different re-evaluations of costs & Which led to different re-evaluations of costs & benefitsbenefits

More & more members of the establishment More & more members of the establishment decided policy must be changeddecided policy must be changed

But those closest to power resisted & persistedBut those closest to power resisted & persisted

Split from WithinSplit from Within

Kissinger et al refused Kissinger et al refused to listen to the voices to listen to the voices of change from within of change from within the establishmentthe establishment

Those cut off from the Those cut off from the White House & any White House & any influence sought other influence sought other waysways

New Institutions for RenewalNew Institutions for Renewal

So, the establishment went its own way:So, the establishment went its own way: went to the press (unheard of)went to the press (unheard of) created new forums for rebuilding consensus, e.g., created new forums for rebuilding consensus, e.g.,

(Foreign Policy magazine)(Foreign Policy magazine) created new organizations for maintaining cohesiveness created new organizations for maintaining cohesiveness

of Western Alliance, e.g., Trilateral Commissionof Western Alliance, e.g., Trilateral Commission created by David Rockefeller & Zbigniew created by David Rockefeller & Zbigniew

Brzezinski in 1973Brzezinski in 1973 member Jimmy Carter to relegitimate Presidency member Jimmy Carter to relegitimate Presidency

(new concern with human rights, etc.)(new concern with human rights, etc.)

Return of the Right WingReturn of the Right Wing

Banned from the corridors of power after the McCarthy, Banned from the corridors of power after the McCarthy, China Lobby attacks on “liberal” internationalismChina Lobby attacks on “liberal” internationalism

The crisis in Keynesian Era, including that in the The crisis in Keynesian Era, including that in the establishment created an opening for a rebirthestablishment created an opening for a rebirth

Right = Old conservatives + New “neo”-conservativesRight = Old conservatives + New “neo”-conservatives Right wing set about building counter elite institutions and Right wing set about building counter elite institutions and

new coalitions around old themesnew coalitions around old themes e.g., free markets, monetarism, “neoliberalism”e.g., free markets, monetarism, “neoliberalism” e.g., nationalism, anti-communism vs detente (Committee on the e.g., nationalism, anti-communism vs detente (Committee on the

Present Danger) (Carter’s New Cold War gave official cachet)Present Danger) (Carter’s New Cold War gave official cachet)

Waiting in the WingsWaiting in the Wings Right Wing Institutions for PolicyRight Wing Institutions for Policy

Neoconservative journals: Neoconservative journals: Public InterestPublic Interest, , CommentaryCommentary American Enterprise Institute: Neoliberal policy interventionsAmerican Enterprise Institute: Neoliberal policy interventions Hoover Institute: Cold War renewalHoover Institute: Cold War renewal Heritage Foundation: Heritage Foundation: Mandate for Leadership Mandate for Leadership for Reaganfor Reagan National Association of Scholars: attacks liberals in educationNational Association of Scholars: attacks liberals in education Georgetown Center for Strategic & International StudiesGeorgetown Center for Strategic & International Studies

Conservative studies & conferencesConservative studies & conferences

Ronald Reagan & the Counter-EstablishmentRonald Reagan & the Counter-Establishment

First Reagan Administration staffed with a few of First Reagan Administration staffed with a few of old establishment, e.g., George Bushold establishment, e.g., George Bush

But, mainly with as many new, Right wing But, mainly with as many new, Right wing counter-establishment people as possible.counter-establishment people as possible.

In economics: supply-side economics, tax cuts, In economics: supply-side economics, tax cuts, deregulation, attack on social programsderegulation, attack on social programs

In politics: Evil Empire, anti-big-govt rhetoricIn politics: Evil Empire, anti-big-govt rhetoric

Hughe’s “Reversals”Hughe’s “Reversals”

Hughes of establishment Carnegie EndowmentHughes of establishment Carnegie Endowment Four “reversals” in foreign policy with new RightFour “reversals” in foreign policy with new Right

from respect for international law to “whatever it takes”from respect for international law to “whatever it takes” from using insternational institutions (UN,IMF) to from using insternational institutions (UN,IMF) to

nationalist antipathy towards themnationalist antipathy towards them from “detente” (economic ties as means to avoid war) from “detente” (economic ties as means to avoid war)

to “roll-back”to “roll-back” from multi- to uni-lateralism & distain for international from multi- to uni-lateralism & distain for international

cooperationcooperation

“Liberal” Establishment’s Revenge“Liberal” Establishment’s Revenge

Excluded at last, the old “liberal” establishment Excluded at last, the old “liberal” establishment turned its guns on the new administrationturned its guns on the new administration for incompetence (e.g., arms control talks, Irangate)for incompetence (e.g., arms control talks, Irangate) for putting ideology before pragmatism (rabid anti-for putting ideology before pragmatism (rabid anti-

Communism, Contras, etc.) Communism, Contras, etc.) Arthur Schlesinger’s critique of the substitution of Arthur Schlesinger’s critique of the substitution of

dogmatic ideology for empirical/pragmatic approaches dogmatic ideology for empirical/pragmatic approaches to foreign policy theory & practiceto foreign policy theory & practice

Public criticism: in journals, Congress, talksPublic criticism: in journals, Congress, talks Iran-Contra exposure & attack (like Watergate)Iran-Contra exposure & attack (like Watergate)

From Establishment to Professional Elites?

From Establishment to Professional Elites?

Destler, Gelb & Lake interpret all this as a replacement of Destler, Gelb & Lake interpret all this as a replacement of old establishment by a new, professional elite old establishment by a new, professional elite

But they extend this new “elite” backward to include But they extend this new “elite” backward to include people like Kissinger & Brzezinski who worked within the people like Kissinger & Brzezinski who worked within the old establishmentold establishment

As well as themselves -who participated in the “takeover” As well as themselves -who participated in the “takeover” of the executive wing with Carterof the executive wing with Carter

So, for them the Right-wing counter-establishment = right So, for them the Right-wing counter-establishment = right side of the new professional eliteside of the new professional elite

Continuing Conflicts - IContinuing Conflicts - I

Conflicts within First Reagan Adminstration led toConflicts within First Reagan Adminstration led to Quite different Second Reagan AdministrationQuite different Second Reagan Administration

less ideologically extremeless ideologically extreme more coherent in dealing with Soviet blocmore coherent in dealing with Soviet bloc but continued basic policy directionsbut continued basic policy directions

Contras, Grenada, PanamaContras, Grenada, Panama

Bush AdministrationBush Administration Continued 2nd Reagan directions including willingness Continued 2nd Reagan directions including willingness

to intervene militarily (Gulf War)to intervene militarily (Gulf War)

Continuing Conflicts - IIContinuing Conflicts - II

Bush’s Gulf War led to coalescence of grassroots Bush’s Gulf War led to coalescence of grassroots opposition that had developed in 80s around:opposition that had developed in 80s around: opposition to draftopposition to draft opposition to military intervention in Central Americaopposition to military intervention in Central America opposition to Grenada & Panama invasionsopposition to Grenada & Panama invasions opposition to immigration policiesopposition to immigration policies

Clinton AdminstrationClinton Adminstration changed little from Bush policy directionschanged little from Bush policy directions

continues NAFTA, support for foreign dictators, etc.continues NAFTA, support for foreign dictators, etc.

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