Why America Must Build a New Operating System
Nadia Schadlow | Foreign Affairs, March/April 2026
The Globalist delusion describes a long-standing assumption in U.S. foreign policy that expanding economic integration and multilateral engagement would automatically produce stability and cooperation. In this article, Nadia Schadlow argues that this belief no longer matches geopolitical reality.
For decades, American strategy relied on the expectation that globalization would align incentives across major powers. Trade, institutions, and shared economic growth were supposed to moderate competition. However, Schadlow contends that rival states have used the openness of the global system to strengthen their own power without embracing liberal norms.
Globalist delusion and strategic vulnerability
According to Schadlow, the Globalist delusion underestimated how authoritarian competitors could exploit global integration. Instead of converging politically, some states leveraged access to markets, technology, and institutions to enhance state control and geopolitical influence.
Moreover, economic interdependence did not eliminate strategic rivalry. In certain cases, it created new vulnerabilities by exposing supply chains, critical industries, and infrastructure to coercion or disruption.
Building a new operating system
Schadlow argues that the United States must construct a new strategic “operating system.” This does not mean abandoning global engagement, but it requires recalibrating assumptions. Security, economic resilience, and technological competitiveness must be integrated more deliberately into foreign policy.
Ultimately, the article suggests that sustainable leadership depends on adapting to structural competition. The Globalist delusion, in Schadlow’s view, rests on outdated premises that fail to account for contemporary geopolitical dynamics.
Reference
Schadlow, N. (2026). The globalist delusion: Why America must build a new operating system. Foreign Affairs, 105(2). https://www.foreignaffairs.com/