Diplomacy after the Siege

The siege of the Capitol by President Trump’s most ardent followers, intending to recapture the spirit of 1776, reveals a startling truth: democratic backsliding can happen here in America, desecrating what President-elect Biden called the ‘Citadel of Democracy’. At last, the specter of danger that stalks the shadows of all democracies that flirt too closely to the edges of populism, ethnonationalism, or fringe conspiracy theories has made a swipe at the world’s most enduring republic. America’s rivals and enemies view the horde of Trump supporters on the steps of the Capitol, clashing with police, as evidence of the domestic failures not only of the American promise, but also of democracy as a system of government. Our allies reacted with shock and horror – stories of foreign friends asking Americans if another Civil War was truly around the corner, academics wondering about the intelligence failure leading to the weak police presence, and diplomats concerned about what this means for the larger banner of democracy worldwide. 

Already, there are headlines and articles suggesting the United States is no longer in a position to be the standard bearer of democracy – that America lost such a right when gunshots rang in the halls of the Capitol building and tear gas was deployed on the National Mall. How can a country so domestically unsettled, fueled by such political polarization that people on opposite sides of the political spectrum literally cannot imagine their political opposite’s viewpoints, suggest to other struggling democracies that America should be looked to as an example of democratic institutions and leadership? 

The United States, having suffered an egregious assault by democratic backsliding, has managed to preserve its institutions in the immediate aftermath of a coup attempt and can use this opportunity to work with other democratizing countries towards a more perfect ideal – a previously unavailable path of diplomacy.

This is a call to an intrinsic strength of American soft power – our ability to constantly recreate ourselves, to show the world that there is a future for democratic states following populist leaders through our own example. President-elect Biden’s task will be to resuscitate our global image and reputation among our friends and rivals as a leader in democracy and human rights. Our institutions will prevail. The shock of the Capitol siege has shaken many politicians, and compelled some to take greater ownership over their rhetoric and vitriol. 

Democracy is not an easy undertaking, and America’s sincerely held ideals are not purely American – they are universal beliefs about the inherent rights of people to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The United States has struggled to live up to its own ideals in the past, but the critical thing is that despite these failures the United States continued to push forward, and can recognize its numerous failures – the Trail of Tears, slavery, Islamophobia in the aftermath of 9/11, Japanese internment, and many others. By acknowledging the times we have fallen short of our ideals and institutions, the United States may be able reach a hand out to other states – including those that may have turned away from the United States in recent years due to their own backsliding – and not only rebuild our international reputation, but perhaps bolster our number of friends. A United States that is better able to sympathize with the struggles of these democratizing states is a United States that will be welcomed much more frequently when offering election watchers, democratic institution experts, and advice on how to continue pursuing shared ideals of human rights. January 6th is another inflection point in American history, another time where we have failed to live up to our shared ideals, but also an instance that showed how democracy can endure. President Biden, in addressing the pandemic, recovering the economy, salving polarization, and salvaging America’s international relationship, can give a simple and powerful reassurance to states facing their own backsliding: America has been there, we know what you’re going through, and together we can get to the other side.

James Paisley is a graduate student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs concentrating in International Security Policy. He will graduate this April with a Master’s in International Affairs.