Essay
List of Essay articles
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A woodcut-style illustration depicts Donald Trump on one end of a face card with Boris Johnson on the other. Both hold mirors. Ranking the Strongmen
In an era defined by vanity, the U.S. president outdoes all his populist peers.
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A woodcut style illustration depicts five U.S. presidents, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Nixon, Bush, and Trump Is Trump’s Use of Executive Power Really So Different?
Presidents of both parties have relied on expansive authority to achieve their goals.
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An illustration depicts Vladimir Putin holding up a hand of playing cards Putin Is a Gambler, not a Grand Master
The Russian president has abandoned real strategy for a single goal.
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Donald Trump supporters climb the Peace Monument memorial in front of the U.S. Capitol Does the United States Need a More Militant Democracy?
A political concept from the mid-20th century has never been more relevant than now.
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An illustration shows Trump from above and behind walking away with six views of the globe behind him. Spheres of Influence Are Not the Answer
Even if the great powers could carve up an interconnected world, Washington may not get the result it wants.
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A drawn illustration shows a chaotic swarm of Eurovision performers surrounded by multicolored disco balls. The performers are encircled by the stars of the EU flag. The West Is Strong—and in Sequins
Eurovision has never been a bigger party or more political.
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Joseph Ny gestures with one hand as he speaks. Joseph Nye Was the Champion of a World That No Longer Exists
The distinguished scholar, who coined “soft power,” shaped five decades of U.S. foreign policy.
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Dwight D. Eisenhower looks over a piece of paper while sitting on a couch as Robert Cutler looks over his shoulder. How Generations of Experts Built U.S. Power
And now Trump is throwing it all away.
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An illustration shows a police officer trying to sudue a panicked mob of men. The Awful History of Tariffs and Depressions
What the 19th century teaches us about what happens next.
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An illustration shows a golden Cybertruck blasting through a U.S. seal of an eagle holding arrows and laurel. Is America a Kleptocracy?
Here’s how life could change for the rich, poor, and everyone in between.
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An illustration shows a golden Newtons cradle with Elon Musk depicted on the one at left and sending a globe-motif ball swinging at right. Elon Musk’s First Principles
The world’s richest man wants to apply the rules of physics to politics. What could go wrong?
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An illustration shows five fists intermingled with a historical painting of a battle. Behind both, with one eye obscured, is a painting of a man with white hair. The Deep Roots of Oligarchy
Private contracting is in the DNA of the modern state.
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An illustration shows Indian currency with Narendra Modi at center and billionaires Mukesh Ambani (left) and Gautam Adani (right). How Modi and Trump Treat Billionaires Differently
Both have harnessed industrialists for political ends.
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A collage illustration shows Chinese currency stripes over the faces of Chinese President Xi Jinping and (smaller) billionaires Hui Ka Yan, Jack Ma, and Pony Ma. Did China Get Billionaires Right?
The party does not grant impunity to the ultra-rich.
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A red MAGA hat among a sea of other red hats. The Shape-Shifting MAGA Hat
From an expression of intransigence to a symbol of triumph.
