John Bew — Making the Modern West Through Foreign Policy скачать в хорошем качестве

John Bew — Making the Modern West Through Foreign Policy

John Bew argues that democracies’ moral language and public scrutiny are not bugs but tools of effective statecraft. He defends two unfashionable virtues—hypocrisy and simplicity—contending that “open diplomacy” forged in parliament, media and public debate can discipline strategy. Periodic democratic “fits of morality” (as Thomas Macaulay put it) act as guardrails: they set limits, align ends and means, and help mobilise free societies over time. From an Anglo‑American vantage—more insulated by geography and accustomed to wars of choice—leaders have long coupled universal principles with raison d’état, a tension critics call “ethical egotism.” For Bew, that contradiction can be an asset when anchored in institutions and consent. Drawing on Arnold Wolfers, he contrasts continental doctrines of necessity with Anglo‑American traditions of choice, arguing that clear, simple aims—think Churchill and Clement Attlee—can sometimes outperform secretive nuance. The contemporary upshot, especially after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is that clarity of purpose, expressed simply, sustains democratic support and allied resolve. The task of statecraft is to marry vigorous action to openly debated principles rather than retreat into cynical realism. John Bew CMG is Professor of History and Foreign Policy in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, specialising in statecraft, grand strategy and the history of political ideas. After serving over five years as No.10’s foreign policy adviser, he led the UK Integrated Review (2021) and Integrated Review Refresh (2023), and under the 2025 Labour government led work on National Security Strategy 2025. He is also a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution. Key Topics 02:55 Open diplomacy under democratic scrutiny: asset or encumbrance? 04:20 In defence of “fits of morality” as strategic guardrails in foreign policy. 06:02 Anglo‑American vantage vs. continental necessity; wars of choice and geography. 08:00 Arnold Wolfers and a philosophy of choice in Anglo‑American statecraft. 13:46 Virtue in simplicity—clarity of ends for Ukraine and allied resolve today. The published anthology https://bokforlagetstolpe.com/bocker/... This seminar took place in June 2022 Engelsberg Ironworks, Sweden. For more visit: Axess Television: https://axesstelevision.com /    / @axesstv1   About: Axess Axess Television is a premium Swedish channel dedicated to critical ideas, culture, science and meaningful dialogue. Explore documentaries, interviews and seminars that challenge, inspire and inform. Engelsberg Ideas: https://engelsbergideas.com /    / @engelsbergideas   About: Engelsberg Ideas is home to great writing from leading thinkers on history, culture and geopolitics, featuring essays, notebooks, reviews, and historical portraits as well as regular podcasts. Stolpe Publishing: https://bokforlagetstolpe.com /    / @bokforlagetstolpe2865   About: Bokförlaget Stolpe publishes high-quality non-fiction books in the fields of humanities and social sciences. We prioritize content, design, reproduction, printing, and binding. Axess Magasin: https://www.axess.se About: Axess Magazine is a journal that offers current Swedish and international debate on ideas in the social sciences and humanities. Each issue also contains an extensive section with reviews of the latest international non-fiction literature. The Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation https://axsonjohnsonfoundation.org The Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit is a private foundation with the primary purpose of promoting scientific and scholarly research. Its focus today is on the humanities and social sciences.