Choose Freedom

In order to challenge American leadership, moral and security interests, and economic priorities, China and Russia are actively seeking to challenge the United States and shift the global order away from democratic values, rules of transparency and openness, and respect for human rights. Establishing and maintaining themselves as global leaders require them to consistently challenge democratic values and institutions, American leadership, and a democratic global world order in which human rights flourish.

Russia’s active engagement in undermining democratic elections and institutions in new and established democracies, as well as their military engagement in Ukraine and Syria are part of these efforts. China is also seeking to use its economic power to align developing countries to its agenda and use existing global institutions — or create new ones — to roll back the democratic order, plus extend its reach and philosophy into American universities and businesses within mature democracies.

The economic struggles of some newer democracies have strained democratization efforts and public backing. In countries where economic development has been slow or difficult, citizens have at times lost patience with democratic processes, which can be slow in delivering changes on needed but challenging reforms. A 2018 Pew Research Center poll indicated a strong link between citizens’ concerns about economic growth and assessment of democratic performance. For instance, the report showed that in Hungary (where democracy is in significant decline), eight of every 10 people surveyed who said the country’s economic situation was poor were also unhappy with the country’s democratic performance.

Meanwhile, China’s aggressive economic expansion, combined with its illiberal and often corrupt engagement in developing nations is seen as an alternative means of economic growth free of the perceived pitfalls of democratic development.

Where Western democracies experience the rise of populist leaders and undemocratic sentiments and movements, skeptics have questioned democratic systems that produce illiberal outcomes. While concerns about these populist trends are valid, the most effective counter to the damaging effects of unbridled populism is strengthened democratic institutions. Such institutions provide a systemic check on illiberal impulses of leaders or undemocratic groups and a vehicle for citizen engagement and protect minority rights under majority rule.

2019 saw continued conflict and displacement in Syria, violent ethnic attacks in Burma (also known as Myanmar), crackdowns in Venezuela, Uighur concentration camps in China, and ongoing ethnic strife in South Sudan, to name only a few sites of massive human rights violations. It is not coincidental that these abuses occur in nondemocratic countries where basic human rights are not protected and there is a lack of democratic institutions to restrain the use of violence.

American military engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan is falsely perceived to have been waged in order to promote or impose democracy. This misperception has also led to calls for the United States to stop supporting democracy overseas, because American democracy assistance is incorrectly interpreted as military intervention. Younger generations, which are more familiar with these wars than with the longer arc of historical democratic developments, are more skeptical about democracy support as a concept.

For those who have long opposed the United States’ role in state building, it is important to differentiate between that comprehensive effort and supporting democratic institutions at the behest of the local populations.

As the primary shaper of American foreign policy, the Executive Branch must ensure — in word and in deed — that democracy support is a cornerstone of American foreign policy. To do this, the President elected in 2020 must:

• Articulate continuing U.S. support for democracy and human rights, at home and abroad.

• Hire and empower individuals who have an unwavering commitment to democratic values and the support of democracy, not only in key positions such as that of the USAID Administrator or the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, but also throughout the administration, including those of American ambassadors.

• Use American strength for American values — The United States should continue to advance its security and economic objectives while using its strength and leadership role to simultaneously call for an end to violations of human rights and advocate for democratization globally.

• Strengthen partnerships for democracy support.

• Strengthen domestic voice for global example — American leaders should seek to affirm and strengthen our democratic institutions, such as an independent media, the strength of American democracy, strong legislative checks and balances, and more.

• Strengthen cadre of democracy/human rights advocates — all members of the Senate and House Committees on Foreign Relations, Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence, as well as other interested members should prioritize and expand their regular briefings from democracy and human rights advocates or regional specialists.

• Make democracy and human rights central — hosting an annual hearing on the state of democracy and human rights in the world and how the administration is supporting democratic developments will ensure that a consistent focus on democracy and human rights and a public record of the administration’s commitment to and plan for supporting democracy.

• Support bicameral, bipartisan democracy caucuses — given the bipartisan nature of democracy support in the past, a bipartisan caucus should be formed to advocate for and address issues impacting democracy around the world.

• Guide democracy and human rights policies — in exercising its oversight, legislative, and funding powers, Congress should elevate the U.S. role of supporting democracy and human rights in foreign policies.

• Reach new supporters — American NGOs should continue their efforts to build support for democracy and human rights, focusing on targeting younger generations, addressing skepticism about how democracy support works and the linkage between democracy and human rights, and addressing misunderstandings about the United States’ historical policies in this area.

• Broaden alliances — democracy and human rights NGOs should build and/or broaden alliances with military, academic, and corporate leaders to encourage actors in the security and economic sectors to raise awareness about and advocate for the importance of supporting democracy and human rights.

• Build domestic partnerships — including increasing participation of local leaders in exchanges and outreach, joint advocacy with American communities interested in countries where democracy and human rights NGOs are active, and joint advocacy to Americans outside of Washington on the importance of supporting democracy and human rights.

• Create dedicated advocacy body — a separate and distinct 501(c)(4) organization should be created to advocate for democracy and human rights policies and to support candidates and members of Congress who support these policies.
  Sustain foundational and philanthropic support for democracy/human rights — because of the long-term nature of democracy and human rights work, sustained funding for these efforts are important.

• Engage executive and legislative branches — corporate leaders who recognize the importance of democratic institutions and processes in countries where their corporations operate should jointly advocate for democracy support to play a significant role in American foreign policy.

• Include democracy and human rights as key components of business-oriented organizations — organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Corporate Council on Africa, or US-ASEAN Business Council should include “operating in accordance to democratic values and principles” as a core component of their engagement in their respective regions.

• Align and promote democratic internal policies — corporations should seek to align internal operational policies with the values of democracy and human rights and resist external actors — political leaders and authoritarian governments such as China — that would seek to steer countries away from the practices of rule of law, transparency, and anti-corruption.

• Expand corporate social responsibility efforts — where these do not already include a democracy and human rights focus, corporations can expand efforts to promote democracy and human rights.

• State and local leaders, including governors, legislators, and mayors, whose communities benefit significantly from democratic partners overseas, should communicate the importance of strong democratic partnerships through vehicles like joint letters to the administration and key legislators.

• Engage faith communities and religious freedom activists — these organizations and communities should build a multifaith coalition for democracy and human rights to advocate for the U.S. government to push for the release and fair treatment of their coreligionists, as well as to advocate transformative political change through democratization.

• Organizations supporting American democratic institutions and civic engagement (e.g., the National Conference on State Legislatures) should urge political leaders to ensure that our foreign policy includes the promotion of the democratic values and institutions that these groups work on domestically.

• Americans who emigrated from countries that remain under authoritarian rule are also strong voices for highlighting the difference between democratic and authoritarian rule and the importance of the United States’ voice in supporting democracy and human rights.

• Former presidents — All former presidents should use their voices individually and collectively to speak about the importance of democracy and human rights support to their respective foreign policies. This nonpartisan message, spanning decades of U.S. engagement in the world, will be a powerful reminder that democracy and human rights support is central to American foreign policy, regardless of administration, party, or policy.

• Business leaders — corporate leaders should emphasize that commercial interests and democracy support can and should coexist, including through signing a statement outlining the importance of democracy support to American business interests.

• Veterans and military leaders — respected military leaders and veterans should also sign a similar statement of alignment with democracy support as a key element of our foreign and national security policies.

• Focus on democracy and human rights in campaign 2020 — media organizations covering the presidential debates should include a focus on what values underpin the candidates’ respective policy development, not just on the specific policies at hand.

• Shift from threats to solutions and progress — there is significant media coverage of the threats and challenges to democracy in the United States and abroad. Given the significant and impactful work to strengthen democracy at home and abroad, analytical news programs should increase coverage devoted to increasing awareness about the role of democratic institutions and highlighting positive efforts to strengthen these institutions at home and abroad.

• Underscore democracy and human rights as part of foreign policy — international affairs programs at American universities should include in their courses of study the following topics: democracy and democratic values as part of the global world order, democracy and human rights as a part of foreign policy, and democracy as a governing system.

• Advance democratic values on campus — equipping students with a deep understanding of freedom of speech, navigating diverse views with civility and respect, and the importance of these values to a democratic society will be important influences on their democratic engagement domestically and internationally.

• Debate foreign policy — in the primary and general election debates, the moderators should ask whether democratic values underpin the formulation of the candidate’s policies and what role supporting democracy and human rights will play in a future foreign policy.

• Articulate democracy and human rights policy positions — outlining their views on supporting democracy and human rights as part of their foreign and national security policies.

• Include democracy and human rights support in party platforms — while candidates and political leaders will not always adhere to every element of the platform, it is important that these articulations of the parties’ views include this point.

• Educate voters on foreign policy issues — civic organizations dedicated to educating voters about candidates and platforms should include coverage of the candidates’ democracy/human rights policies as part of foreign policies.

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