Less is more in today’s foreign service
The £17m it costs Britain annually to run its embassy in Paris, a former home to Napoleon’s sister, is justified on the grounds that grandeur is required to impress political…
Articles, Briefings and Essays
The views expressed in the articles are those of each respective author and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of the Foreign Policy Centre.
Russia’s Newly Found “Soft Power”
In recent years, Russia has transformed itself from a defunct military — although still nuclear — superpower into a new energy superpower. New uses for oil revenues Although Russia has…
An Open Letter to the Heads of State and Government
Russia’s democratic institutions have always been weak and fragile. Since becoming President in January 2000, Vladimir Putin has made them even weaker. He has systematically undercut the freedom and independence…
Why Tony needs help from a Tory
In a year's time, he will almost certainly have a third election victory, but he will be a leader with a potentially terminal political problem: turning around the 2:1 Euro-sceptic…
The east is ready
China's rise through America's eyes: "When a speeding freight train is heading towards you, you either get on board or you get out of the way. We want to get…
How China is wooing the world
These young Bengalis are not just motivated by regional passions. Everywhere in the developing world people are sitting up and taking notice of the Chinese juggernaut. As a model for…
Managing Migration: a Southern perspective
President Fox was pleased for a variety of reasons. No doubt he was hopeful that the creation of legal migration routes into the US could put a break on the…
Europe’s advocates need to make their case now
Yet, in spite of the importance of the referendum result, the government and its allies in the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative party have kept their heads well down. It…
Outsourcing: the acid test for India’s liberalisers
In America “outsourcing” has turned into one of the central political issues of the presidential campaign. Recent months have seen the sharpest ever drop in support for free trade; abuse…
The US is suffering a chronic deficit of legitimacy
The international spread of democracy began in the 1970s but came to an end in the 1990s. Why? Because with the cold war over, America's moral mission is no longer…