In The News

Interconnected We Prosper

William J. Amelio June 27, 2008
The ranks of the middle class have swelled during the past 15 years, as trade and new connections have lifted millions out of poverty, writes William J. Amelio, chief executive of Lenovo, in an essay for the International Herald Tribune. “Not just goods but information and ideas flow across borders constantly and (for the most part) freely as near universal access to Internet-enabled...

India’s Search for a Foreign Policy

Harsh V. Pant June 26, 2008
India remains deadlocked over a US-India civilian nuclear-energy pact. Delay dims prospects for final approval by either nation and reflects the Indian government’s general inability to establish a grand strategy for itself, with foreign-policy goals that set a direction for the country, argues Harsh V. Pant. In too many areas – Chinese border disputes, Maoists and other terrorists gaining...

An Uncertain Victory for China’s Workers

Lyle Morris June 24, 2008
China’s expansion, fueled by cheap exports that poorly paid workers produce, may slow with a new labor law in force. The law aims to protect laborers and improve global perceptions of China’s human-rights record. Companies in China, both domestic and foreign, have been notorious about hiring workers with short-term contracts. The law provides higher wages and greater job security, including a...

Obama Goes Soft on Free Trade

John Nichols June 24, 2008
American workers blame much of their recent economic hardships on free-trade agreements, focusing their enmity on the North American Free Trade Agreement in particular. Barack Obama has sought to harness this enmity in the past, criticizing NAFTA in an effort to court working-class voters during the primary battle with Hillary Clinton. Now that he has secured the Democratic presidential...

Can the US Bring Jobs Back from China?

Pete Engardio June 23, 2008
Despite a decline in the dollar and a spike in oil prices, finding a US manufacturer eager to develop prototypes for new products or compete for contracts is not easy. Not only does the US fail to compete in industries that require ample cheap labor, it also struggles to compete in terms of innovation. “American factories and supplier networks in many industries have withered in the era of...

Waiting For Obama: The First Global Election

Derek Shearer June 23, 2008
With the George W. Bush presidency coming to a close, global observers anticipate greater international engagement from the US. Students in countries like Syria, Peru and Bolivia are particularly amazed that the US voters might possibly select minority Barack Obama, whose father was an immigrant and whose name is not traditionally European, explains Derek Shearer, a former ambassador to Finland...

Time for a Global Town-Hall Meeting?

Jeffrey Garten June 19, 2008
People all over the world don’t have a right to vote in the US, but remain keenly interested in the country’s elections – because what the new president might do or not do often affects their countries and even their daily lives. While no one would suggest granting foreigners the right to influence the US election, that should not prevent Americans from hearing foreign views and concerns in a...