RightHeader LeftHeaderCharlottesville Committee on Foreign  Relations
Dedicated to the promotion of informed discussion on foreign policy and international affairs
Skip Navigation Links
Founded in 1951, The Charlottesville Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) is a civic, non-partisan organization dedicated to the promotion of informed discussion of American foreign policy and international affairs.

It has achieved a distinguished record of bringing together concerned citizens in our area with leading authorities on world developments. The hallmark of CCFR is the creation of opportunities for in-depth exchanges on major international issues that increasingly affect our lives.

John M. Owen IV, Ph.D., Amb. Henry J. and Mrs. Marion R. Taylor Professor of Politics, and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture and the Miller Center for Public Affairs

"Global Democracy in Troubled Times"

Thursday September 12,2024

In the year 1989, the Soviet Union collapsed, leaving the Western Democracies triumphant. Francis Fukuyama wrote in his famous book, “The End of History and the Last Man” (published in 1992), that linear evolutionary history reached its apogee in liberal democracy, which has proven to be the most effective system of government ethically, politically and economically.

The year 2024 is the year of a new challenge that has arisen to the established democratic orthodoxy. Martin Wolf of the Financial Times calls it “Democracy’s Year of Peril.” Many democracies, including India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hungary, South Africa, France, Mexico, Britain, Venezuela and the United States are holding elections this year.

There are concerns in many democratic capitals that politicians and parties with questionable commitments to constitutional democracy are rising or consolidating authoritarian power in various parts of the world. Hungary and Venezuela are two leading examples. Even the United States may fall under an authoritarian form of government after the November election.

Meanwhile, China, North Korea, Russia continue to revise the post war world order to one more acceptable to authoritarian regimes even though the rules based system led to substantial improvements in living standards and freedom throughout the world.  Russia has challenged NATO and the West for supremacy in Europe. Sweden and Finland gave up their neutrality for the protection of NATO. China has threatened the right of The Republic of China to exist as a free and independent liberal democracy on Taiwan.  The PRC has also challenged the free navigation of the South China Sea by claiming all of it is Chinese territory. 

Dr. John Owen will discuss these trends and the role of America in the global fortunes of democracy and explore what it means to the world if the authoritarians succeed. 

John M. Owen IV, Ph.D. is Amb. Henry J. and Mrs. Marion R. Taylor Professor of Politics, and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture and the Miller Center for Public Affairs.  Dr. Owen has recently completed a sabbatical at Oxford.  His latest book is: The Ecology of Nations: American Democracy in a Fragile World Order. 

 

6:00 Cocktails      6:45 Dinner           7:45 Address and Discussion

 

Save The Date - Thursday, October 10th

Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Council of the Americas and the Americas Society

"U.S. Policy and Evolving Relations with the Western Hemisphere."
Meal A: Petite Filet
Meal B: Pan Roasted Salmon
Meal C: Zucchini Tomato Gratin