Navigating a Post-Rules Global Order
The essay argues that the post-Cold War vision of a rules-based international order has collapsed, with aggression and economic coercion rising. It suggests that self-help and strategic adaptation are becoming essential for states in a more anarchic world.
Hal Brands, a Johns Hopkins professor and American Enterprise Institute fellow, authored this piece for Foreign Policy's Fall 2026 print edition. The essay traces the post-World War II era, noting that Washington and its allies established a partial rules-based system within the free world specifically to contain Soviet influence.
Following the Soviet bloc's collapse, the opportunity to extend this cooperative framework globally emerged but has since faded. The current landscape features surging aggression, rampant economic coercion, declining arms control, and great-power imperial ambitions, alongside domestic political constraints being dismantled by strong leaders.
The erosion of shared norms could leave smaller and mid-sized states more exposed to economic and military pressure from larger powers. International institutions may see their authority further diminished, complicating efforts to address transnational crises. Within societies, leaders might use external chaos to justify tightening domestic controls. This shift could also prompt governments to prioritize self-reliance, potentially accelerating arms races and reducing cooperation on global public goods.