[EAI Special Report] Can Candidate Biden's Foreign Policy Restore American Leadership and Change the World Order? ① Diplomacy of Light: Biden's Foreign Policy Viewed Through Domestic Policy Needs and the Projection of Democratic Values

Editor's Note

Democratic candidate Biden promises a foreign policy that closely links the resolution of domestic policy agendas with the restoration of democratic values, taking the Trump administration's authoritarian policies as a cautionary tale. With the premise that 'only when values such as democracy, human rights, and justice are fully realized within the United States is rational and fair negotiation and dialogue possible through various international institutions,' he details plans for domestic economic, social justice, and environmental issues. Deviating slightly from the Democratic Party's traditional stance on the use of military force, he repeatedly emphasizes diplomacy through dialogue and compromise, aiming to 'restore American leadership' by rejoining the multilateral world order, particularly by strengthening ties with allies and actively responding to China. In this way, Biden partially embraces the values of foreign policy traditionally pursued by the Democratic Party, leading the author to argue that it is akin to a 'Diplomacy of Light'—similar yet different, and distinct from Trump's policies, which have been characterized as 'darkness, fear, and hate' over the past three and a half years.

※ The following is an excerpt. Please refer to the attached file above for the full text.

The Democratic National Convention, held from August 17 to 20, concluded in the United States, where over 5.7 million COVID-19 infections and more than 170,000 deaths have occurred due to the global pandemic. The convention, under the theme 'Uniting America,' criticized the 'America First' and white nationalist policies pursued by President Donald Trump, elected in 2016, arguing they have led to domestic division and international distrust. Over the four days, the convention's main speeches focused on criticizing President Trump's mismanagement and highlighted the urgency for the Democratic Party's supporters to unite around Joe Biden, the former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee, to reclaim power from President Trump.

The 2020 US presidential election has largely seen its main issues predetermined by the COVID-19 pandemic's damage and economic recession, as well as the anti-racism protests sparked by the death of George Floyd. Amidst the strong emergence of these issues, polls have consistently shown Biden leading President Trump. While it cannot be definitively stated that current public opinion, unfavorable to President Trump, will not change during the remaining 80-odd days of the campaign, the poll results showing Biden neck-and-neck or ahead in addressing economic issues must be a significant blow to President Trump, who has consistently received high support from US voters for his handling of the economy since the tax cuts at the end of 2017.

The Democratic National Convention has concluded, and with the nomination of Kamala Harris as the vice-presidential candidate, the 'Biden-Harris' ticket has been officially formed. This article now turns to observe the Republican National Convention, which began on August 24, to examine the general direction of Biden's foreign policy and the background behind its vision and objectives, focusing on the questions of what they are and how they are set within the context of domestic circumstances. This article views Biden's overall foreign policy as inseparable from the Democratic Party's broader concern to prioritize domestic policy needs and advance democratic values such as human rights and institutional procedures, and has termed this approach the 'Diplomacy of Light,' quoting his acceptance speech. In his acceptance speech on August 20, the final day of the Democratic National Convention, Biden characterized President Trump's past three and a half years in office as marked by 'darkness, fear, and hate,' and contrasted his policy vision with these elements, expressing it through the concept of 'light,' along with 'hope' and 'love.' Declaring, 'I will be a partner of the light, not of the darkness,' Biden pledged to pursue key domestic policies and restore democratic values such as democracy, human rights, and justice, which had been neglected and abandoned during the 'darkness, fear, and hate' of the Trump administration over the past three and a half years.

Notably, Biden's foreign policy is not detached from domestic policy agendas and democratic values, as it emphasizes the renewal of American global leadership through the restoration of domestic democracy, the revival of alliances and cooperative international institutions, and overcoming global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the decline of democracy, and climate change. Overall, the restoration of global cooperation through democratic procedures and institutions, the emphasis on fair rules and negotiations, and the unity of democratic forces and nations resisting authoritarianism are elements that Trump's 'America First' and white nationalism—his 'darkness'—have rejected, and which the Democratic Party, in opposition to Trump, has consistently emphasized. Furthermore, the restoration of the domestic democratic order, expressed as a return to 'light' and renewal 'for the light,' appears to be significantly reflected in Biden's foreign policy. For various reasons explained below, this author intends to proceed with the discussion by anticipating that Biden's foreign policy will unfold in a direction that emphasizes domestic policy needs and incorporates democratic values, alongside geopolitical power competition such as containing China, more than any previous presidential election.

■ Author: Son Byung Kwon_Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Chung-Ang University. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan. His main research areas include American politics, US foreign policy, and comparative legislative and party politics. Recent works include "Is American Congressional Politics Still a Model of Democracy?: The US Congress Captured by Party Politics" (2018) and "Understanding the Emergence of American Nationalism in the Trump Era" (2017).

■ Management and Editing: Jeon Ju Hyun EAI Research Fellow

Inquiries: 02 2277 1683 (ext. 204) jhjun@eai.or.kr

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