Daniel Bessner on American Primacy, Cold War Liberalism, and the China Challenge

The podcast explores Cold War liberalism's influence on American foreign policy and its relevance to the U.S.-China relationship. Historian Daniel Bessner discusses how Cold War liberals shaped American power structures and ideology, fostering a belief in U.S. global dominance. Bessner argues that the U.S. proactively chose to seek hegemony after World War II, institutionalizing this approach through agencies like the NSC and CIA. He suggests that the U.S. should accept a multipolar order in Asia, acknowledging China's legitimate interests and the limits of American power. Bessner also touches on the anxiety of loss among American elites, which distorts the U.S.'s interpretation of China's rise, and advocates for a responsible drawdown of U.S. military presence in Asia.