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Commentary

What Does America's Political Polarization Mean for Competition with China?

Nov 9, 2018

Political polarization in the United States potentially carries significant implications for America's strategic competition with China. Leaders in Washington will need to work to mitigate the effects of polarization and manage competition with China in a stable, effective manner.
Report

Building a Sustainable World Order

May 3, 2018

The growing threat to the rules-based postwar order is a defining feature of current discussions about world politics. A two-year project explored the existing international order, assessed the challenges facing it, and recommended policies to advance U.S. interests.

Explore Politics and Government

Commentary

Changing the Way America Goes to War

America's vast power, and the weakness of most of its enemies, has allowed it to get away with a striking absence of deliberative judgment when deciding on war, as the Iraq case makes clear. But that free pass is coming to an end. It's time for the United States to rethink the way it decides on wars of choice.

Jun 25, 2019
Commentary

What Should the United States Do About Venezuela?

If it becomes evident that Maduro isn't about to fall, then the Trump administration should revisit its sanctions and rescind those that fall most heavily on the Venezuelan people, while targeting and isolating the regime.

Jun 24, 2019
Commentary

One Country, Two Systems, Lots of Problems

The enormous protests in Hong Kong since spring have led to fresh fears about the viability of China's "one country, two systems" policy. It's an idea that Macau and Hong Kong officially subscribe to and Taiwan fiercely resists—but one increasingly questioned from all sides.

Jun 21, 2019
Commentary

A Post-2020 U.S. Return to the Iran Nuclear Deal?

Now that the United States is out of the Iran nuclear deal, signing back on will not be as simple or as practical as some may hope. Too much has happened since it was first inked in 2015. With the political landscape in Tehran and Washington still taking shape, those who want to return to some kind of deal should start planning.

Jun 20, 2019
Commentary

The Costs of Confrontation with Iran Are Mounting

Even if the United States and Iran avoid a direct military clash, the escalation and the U.S. maximum pressure campaign are exacting long-term costs for U.S. interests and regional stability in ways that may be difficult if not impossible to reverse.

Jun 17, 2019
Commentary

A Democratic Spring Could Be Stirring in Eurasia. The West's Quiet Support Can Help

An incipient Eurasian “democratic spring” may not yet be on the horizon, but political awareness and civil society are gaining ground. The West could contribute by continuing to help to fill information vacuums, and by offering training and support for nurturing civil society, conducting free and fair elections, and developing competitive politics.

Jun 13, 2019
Commentary

Modi Fans Nationalist Flames, Cruises to Victory in Indian Elections

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2019 victory was a much greater achievement than his equally unexpected victory five years ago. Recognizing his weak position on economic and social issues, Modi shifted his campaign to a nationalist plank, and his party won overwhelmingly even in states where it lost elections just six months prior.

Jun 3, 2019
Commentary

This Is Not a Great-Power Competition

The emerging conventional wisdom among foreign policy analysts in Washington is that a new era of great-power competition is upon us. But does that phrase really capture today's reality?

May 29, 2019
Commentary

The End of May: Another Brexit Victim

What brought down British Prime Minister Theresa May? The essential contradictions of Brexit and a British public that cannot muster a majority for any Brexit outcome.

May 27, 2019
Commentary

The U.S. and Iran: Beyond the Rhetoric

Since the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran, tensions between the two countries have increased. Washington has stepped up pressure on Tehran in the hopes of reopening negotiations or ushering in the regime's collapse, while inside Iran, President Rouhani is facing pressure to retaliate.

May 17, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

External Threat, Internal Rivalry, and Alliance Formation

Coalitions of rivals, while formidable against common threats, may find it difficult or impossible to avoid struggles among themselves even if they share an enemy.

May 15, 2019
Blog

RAND's Analysis of News in the Digital Age: Three Takeaways

How has the rise of digital technology shaped the way that news is presented? RAND researchers conducted an empirical study to find out. Here's what you need to know from their findings.

May 13, 2019
Commentary

With Little Fanfare, Japan Just Changed the Way It Uses Its Military

In early April, Japan deployed its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) abroad to join a multinational force not connected to the United Nations. This is the first time that SDF personnel will participate in overseas peacekeeping operations not under UN control. The difference may not seem important, but it is.

May 3, 2019
Commentary

Finding the Real Will of the People

It's not surprising that the British Parliament is struggling to find a solution to the Brexit impasse. That's because the 2016 vote revealed nothing about the sort of Brexit people actually wanted. When researchers asked Brits to choose between four options in 2017, there was no obvious winner.

Apr 30, 2019
Commentary

What Jokowi’s Reelection Means for Indonesia

On April 17, Indonesia conducted the largest single-day vote in any nation's history. President Joko Widodo has likely netted a second term. What does that mean for his nation and its place in the world?

Apr 25, 2019
Commentary

Yes, the U.S. Could Be Drawn Into Yet Another Big War

The outcome of the Iraq invasion has done little to alter the factors that have led American leaders and the public into unwise military adventures. Today's big idea of America's mission is not so different from what it was in 2003. Any number of events could spark a new moral imperative to act.

Apr 19, 2019
Commentary

When Are Economic Sanctions Worthwhile?

For American policymakers, economic sanctions are too often the soft choice between doing nothing and taking effective but risky or expensive action. Yet, before they inflict years, perhaps decades of impoverishment and worse on entire populations, they should ask if their efforts are likely to succeed and are worth punishing an entire people to do so.

Apr 15, 2019
Commentary

'Game of Thrones' Reflections on International Relations

As two RAND researchers join millions of others in eagerly awaiting the final season of Game of Thrones, they reflect on one of the show's central themes: rival views of the nature of power and justice.

Apr 11, 2019
Testimony

Testimony

The Consolidation of Political Power in China Under Xi Jinping: Implications for the PLA and Domestic Security Forces: Addendum

Document submitted April 11, 2019, as an addendum to testimony before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on February 7, 2019.

Apr 11, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

From Ballot-Boxes to Barracks: Votes, Institutions, and Post-Election Coups

If war is too important to be left to the generals, politics may be too contentious to be left to the civilians. At least this is what frequent military forays into the political arena suggest. But when and why does the military actively intervene in politics?

Mar 26, 2019

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