Thread by @bctallis

1. What is Neo-Idealism?
(seeing as many of you have asked)
It’s a new approach to Grand Strategy & International Relations that I think we can see emerging in responses to #Russia’s war & from #Ukraine’s brave resistance.
1st 🧵in a series on #NeoIdealism
1/25

I introduced the idea of #NeoIdealism in a piece for @RUSI_org in April '22. Its fullest elaboration so far is in my book 'To #Ukraine With Love' that came out last month - available on kindle & paperback on all amazon stores 😃
So what is it? 2/25
amazon.co.uk/Ukraine-Love-E…

#NeoIdealism is a morally based approach to the geopolitical pursuit of interests that emphasises all democratic states, including smaller states' rights to self-determination - e.g. in joining spheres of Integration (EU, NATO) & rejecting spheres of influence (🇷🇺 empire)
3/25

#NeoIdealism is founded on the power of values conceived as ideals to strive for: human rights & fundamental freedoms, democratic governance, liberal societies &, perhaps most importantly, the right of citizens in those societies to a hopeful future.
4/25

Crucially, the new idealists see the struggle for these ideals, & making progress toward them, as an interest in itself - one which aids the pursuit of their societies’ other interests with regard to both security & prosperity.
In #NeoIdealism our values are our interests.
5/25

President @ZelenskyyUa's historic speech to Congress in December was interesting in this regard.

"🇺🇦courage & 🇺🇸resolve guarantee the future of our common freedom, the freedom of people who stand for their values."
6/25

Zelenskyy emphasised that "our struggle will define in what world our children & grandchildren will live [&] whether it will be democra[tic]."
These ideals don’t come for free & are under threat from competition between autocracies & democracies. (which doubt themselves)
7/25

Too often, we in democratic societies have doubted ourselves and our systems. #Ukraine's fight & the bravery of its people have reminded us why freedom, democracy & rights are worth dying for.
- & Putin's #Russia reminds us very clearly of the alternative.
8/25

This is what @davidfrum brilliantly pointed to in his analysis of the speech, arguing that Ukraine has 'recalled us to ourselves' - to what we can be at our best & why we should try anew to be that.
9/25
theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

Neo-Idealists argue that to maximise democracies’ competitive advantage & prevail in the systemic competition, we need to renew, invest in & struggle to uphold democratic rights & freedoms - & fight to defend them when they are threatened.

10/25

🇺🇦s have appealed to parliaments, leaders & peoples across the West to help their country. They have encouraged people & politicians to relive the heroic moments of their history
- & confronted them with examples of where they have failed to live up to their ideals.
11/25

Arguing that🇺🇦's fight is just one front in a wider struggle for democracy over tyranny, freedom over oppression, self-determination over imperial subjugation, @ZelenskyyUa convinced people around the 🌍 that #Ukraine’s fight is their fight too.
politico.eu/article/ukrain…
12/25

This ‘Zelenskiy Effect’ immediately gained traction in #CEE, where the principles and stakes of #NeoIdealism were intuitively understood, resonated with historical experience & triggered the reawakening of dormant forms of politics. 13/25

#CEE states have been in the vanguard of European responses to #Russia’s assault on #Ukraine. They have committed staggering proportions of GDP & defence spending to (military) assistance & led the way in supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons
14/25
foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/15/tan…

CEE leaders & @vonderleyen also spearheaded the drive to endorse Ukraine's candidacy for EU membership
- yet not all CEE responses to the war can be categorised at Neo-Idealist:eg🇭🇺 has taken in refugees but has indulged 🇷🇺 & undermines lib-democ.
15/25
foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/07/ukr…

🇵🇱has taken the most refugees of all & sent even more heavy weapons than other CEE states - but its PiS govt is avowedly not Neo-Idealist. It's approach is grounded in defence of PL interest but not a liberal vision (& it has itself attacked liberal rights & freedoms).
16/25

This contrasts with the values others use to justify their countries’ strong material support to #Ukraine. e.g. @kajakallas' powerful speech in Berlin or check out the twitter feeds of @GLandsbergis @edgarsrinkevics & @Pabriks [links in book]
valitsus.ee/en/news/16th-b…
17/25

As @pabriks put it in Berlin:
“We are ready to die for freedom. Are you?
& @JanLipavsky: "moral responsibility” to help
🇺🇦s who “want to be part of Western society, want democratic elections, freedom of speech & the prosperity that comes with them.”
18/25

All links to quotes are in the book - but some also in this piece - incl. @JanLipavsky expressing support for Taiwan as “ bullied by #China. Part of our government’s vision is that democracies in the world should hold together – & 🇹🇼is a democracy."
19/25
rusi.org/explore-our-re…

So #NeoIdealism is not limited to supporting #Ukraine, to European Affairs, nor to CEE - as @MarinSanna's famous statement on how #Russia can end the war showed
- as did her position on #China
20/25
news.sky.com/video/finlands…

@MarinSanna:
“trade or economics are not reasons to turn our eyes away from […] human rights abuses & the oppression of minorities”
Like🇨🇿's position, this backed up Lithuania's stance in forsaking trade (& enduring threats) from🇨🇳to defend values

https://twitter.com/MarinSanna/status/1356934637050859521?s=20&t=rVAV5VHT0C-S3UcHEvTXYQ

21/25

There are costs to this approach - but the Neo-Idealists are clear that they know the price of freedom & are willing to pay it. Even if liberal values have been imperfectly upheld in their countries in the past, they are not only worth defending but striving to renew.
22/25

Their new, hard-edged idealism stands in stark contrast to nativist populism as well as to 'Realism' & some other approaches to IR (see next🧵). Focus on the future & progressive change sets them apart from those who seem stuck in the recent past.
foreignaffairs.com/germany/olaf-s…
23/25

#NeoIdealism is also very different - & opposed to any approaches prioritise 'Great Power Politics' & thus trample on the agency of smaller states & undermine liberal ordering.
24/25
nytimes.com/2022/12/04/wor…

The Neo-Idealists see that without the means to defend itself, including military capabilities, no liberal order can survive. But, without a defensible moral core or the hope of progress, it cannot thrive.
Find out more in the book - & forthcoming🧵s
/END
amazon.de/-/en/Benjamin-…