Issues

Foreign Affairs Article

India's Feeble Foreign Policy

Author: Manjari Chatterjee Miller

The world may expect great things from India, but as extensive reporting reveals, Indians themselves turn out to be deeply skeptical about their country's potential. That attitude, plus New Delhi's dysfunctional foreign-policy bureaucracy, prevent long-term planning of the sort China has mastered -- and are holding India back.

See more in India, Economic Development

Foreign Affairs Article

The Real Story Behind Executive Pay

Author: Steven N. Kaplan

Much of the outrage over economic inequality in the United States has centered on the high compensation and lack of accountability that corporate executives supposedly enjoy -- allegedly the result of boards at public companies. The truth, however, is that American CEOs now earn less and get fired more than in the recent past.

See more in Corruption and Bribery, Capital Markets, Corporate Governance

Foreign Affairs Article

Africa's Economic Boom

Authors: Shantayanan Devarajan and Wolfgang Fengler

Sub-Saharan Africa's GDP has grown five percent a year since 2000 and is expected to grow even faster in the future. Although pessimists are quick to point out that this growth has followed increases in commodities prices, the success of recent political reforms and the increased openness of African societies give the region a good chance of sustaining its boom for years to come.

See more in Sub-Saharan Africa, Economic Development

Foreign Affairs Article

The Clinton Legacy

Author: Michael Hirsh

As secretary of state, Hillary Clinton helped restore America's standing in the world, but she left office with no signature achievement. If she gets her way, her tenure as the country's top diplomat will come to be seen simply as a stepping-stone to the presidency

See more in Diplomacy, U.S. Strategy and Politics

Foreign Affairs Article

America's Energy Opportunity

Author: Michael Levi

The U.S. energy revolution is not confined to a single fuel or technology: oil and gas production, renewable energy, and fuel-efficient automobile technologies all show great promise. To best position the country for the future, U.S. leaders should capitalize on all these opportunities rather than pick a favorite; the answer lies in 'most of the above.'

See more in United States, Energy

Foreign Affairs Article

Why American Education Fails

Author: Jal Mehta

Since the end of the industrial age, Americans have worried about improving their education system. But the country has never been able to make much progress. Other nations do it better, and the United States must learn from their examples if it hopes to catch up.

See more in United States, Education

Foreign Affairs Article

Bolívar's Botched Bequest

Author: Ilan Stavans

The Venezuelan revolutionary Simon Bolívar has a remarkably elastic legacy. Ever since his death in 1830, Latin American politicians across the political spectrum have claimed to be his rightful heir. What Bolívar left behind, it turns out, was less a coherent set of ideas than an abstract vision of Latin American unity -- a vision that remains impossible today.

See more in South America, Nation Building

Foreign Affairs Article

Beyond the Pivot

Author: Kevin Rudd

The Obama administration's "pivot" to Asia made sense, because China was starting to doubt U.S. staying power. Now that Washington has sent Beijing a clear message it will be around for the long haul, however, the time has come for the two countries to deepen and institutionalize their relationship in order to secure Asia's lasting peace and prosperity.

See more in China, U.S. Strategy and Politics

Foreign Affairs Article

The Long Arm of International Law

Author: Pierre N. Leval

Thanks to a once-obscure law passed in 1789, foreign victims of foreign human rights abusers can use U.S. courts to sue their abusers. But the Supreme Court may soon ban such suits. That would be a shame, since they offer victims some measure of solace and give substance to underenforced human rights laws. The law should be upheld, and other countries should follow the U.S. lead.

See more in Humanitarian Law, International Criminal Courts and Tribunals