When Democracy and Security Interests Clash: Hard Choices for US Policymakers

Speaker(s): Carothers, T. (Co-director, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace); Press, B. (Non-resident Research Analyst, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)

Date: 1 February 2023

Speaker Session Summary

SMA hosted a speaker session with Mr. Thomas Carothers (Co-director, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) and Mr. Benjamin Press (Non-resident Research Analyst, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) as part of its SMA General Speaker Series.

The US government’s objectives of protecting its security interests and promoting democratic ideals abroad sometimes coincide (e.g., Ukraine), while at other times, they appear at odds. The US spends billions of dollars per year on foreign aid to support democratic values and human rights efforts. However, it also gives large amounts of aid and support to countries that have weakening democracies, human rights issues, or full autocracies in the name of national and regional security. The US has encountered this dilemma since the Cold War and the Reagan administration, Mr. Press stated. During this time, the US viewed supporting democratic values as pivotal while also partnering with oppressive autocracies like Chile to combat the USSR. The three major drivers of this dilemma in recent years, according to Mr. Press, include a) the US’s interest in maintaining stability in the MENA region, b) countering violent extremist organizations, and c) managing strategic competition with China.

The US either backs or maintains a security partnership with 70 non-democratic countries. Egypt is one such country to which the US has provided aid due to its role in providing stability within the MENA region. Mr. Carothers detailed six different ways that policymakers can challenge current international relations assumptions, including recognizing that autocratic states will not support the US’s world view despite its provision of aid. Furthermore, he stated that the US should not be afraid of losing its autocratic allies because the US is pushing them to make governing changes. This is because these autocratic states rely on the security of these deals as much as the US does, if not more. Even incremental improvements in democratization or strengthening human rights in a country can be large victories for the US and its global objectives.

Speaker Session Recording

Briefing Materials

Biographies:

Dr. Thomas Carothers is co-director of the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. A widely recognized expert on democratization worldwide and US policies relating to democracy, he is the author of numerous books and articles and has worked as an adviser to many organizations engaged in democracy support globally. He worked previously at the US Department of State and the international law firm of Arnold & Porter.

Dr. Benjamin Press is a non-resident research analyst in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment, where his research has focused on international politics and US foreign policy. He has authored or co-authored articles on related topics in multiple outlets, including Foreign Policy, Just Security, and the SAIS Review of International Affairs.