More than a generation has passed since America hailed the 1991 Soviet collapse as the dawn of a new world order, wide open to the spread of freedom and democracy. That euphoria is long gone, replaced these days by apprehension. For years now, authoritarian rulers have been on a roll, with such aggressive dictatorships as China, Russia and Iran gaining military muscle, influence and turf. Around the globe, freedom and democracy have been broadly in decline.
Is there any serious chance that on President Donald Trump’s watch, these dismal trends might be stopped, or even reversed? Could his push to “Make America Great Again” conceivably catalyze a global comeback for democracy? The answer might surprise you.