Joseph Nye wrote the book on foreign policy. It's required reading in University international relations classes, partly because this high-powered dean of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government has helped generate the intellectual electricity that powers the U.S. national security establishment.
Today, the distinguished political scientist will be speaking at the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy on one of the current hot topics in foreign affairs-the balance of power in East Asia. Nye played a large role in crafting this debate during his 1993-95 stint in the Clinton administration as Director of the National Intelligence Council and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.
Nye, noted initially for his academic accomplishments, achieved a great deal in government, helping to shape some of the preeminent foreign policy decisions of this era, particularly those regarding U.S. involvement in world affairs.
"I think the key question is what extent the Americans stay involved," said Nye in reference to the U.S. military presence in East Asia. "If we changed our view, I think you would see a different Asia. You would see an arms race between Japan and China."
In the early 90s, tighter military budgets and an increased focus on domestic policy put pressure on the United States to withdraw a portion of the 100,000 U.S. troops currently stationed in Japan. Thanks in part to the so-called Nye Initiative, however, that trend was reversed. The troops stayed, regular security talks were arranged and the U.S. government repeatedly pledged to remain involved in East Asia.
The Nye Initiative continues to draw bipartisan support because it is widely believed that a U.S. military presence encourages economic and political progress throughout Asia by deterring aggressors such as North Korea and the People's Republic of China.
U.S. foreign policy makers are consistently concerned with the so-called "balance of power" in Asia, where American troops have fought three of its previous four wars. Traditional thinkers note that dramatic economic improvements such as those underway in China increase a country's military potential and consequently disturb the international balance of power.
"I think the U.S.-Chinese relationship will dominate at least the first half of the 21st century. People will look back on this as being the pivotal time period, and if things go well, they will look very carefully at what happened on Joe Nye's watch," said Peter Feaver, University political science professor who was advised by Nye while writing his dissertation at Harvard.
Unwilling to contain China and unable to control it, the U.S. instead operates under the auspices of an "engagement policy," which Nye helped orchestrate. Essentially, the policy is a cautious strategy that calls for further economic integration and continual political negotiation.
"We should resist the dichotomy that China is either friend or enemy," Nye said. "Friendship has to be earned by the actions countries take. So, I think we could say we look toward a broader strategic relationship that benefits both countries. That doesn't mean we write an automatic blank check for everything they do."
And while engagement has not resulted in any diplomatic disasters to date, it is often criticized as not pressing the Chinese government hard enough on key issues such as human rights, trade and nuclear nonproliferation. Still others say China's economy must develop before political progress can be made.
"Economic development in China is a necessary condition but it is not sufficient. It's hard to see an American president carry out some policy without economics, but finding out how to balance interests is the central question of foreign policy," Nye said.
Achieving that balance is tricky business. While sometimes criticized in the United States, Nye is simultaneously criticized in China as pushing to aggressively contain China by arranging an encirclement of alliances.
"Certainly, he was instrumental in arranging Secretary Perry's trip to China in the fall of 1994. He was also instrumental in strengthening U.S.-Japan security arrangements," said James Lilley, who served as ambassador to China during the Bush administration. "So, he on the one hand was the architect of a new defense initiative with China, and on the other hand he strengthened our relationship with Japan. In short, he had a very balanced approach."
Nye's contributions in U.S. foreign policy have won him the respect of both political parties. Though he served as foreign policy advisor to presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in 1988 and has worked exclusively for Democratic administrations, Nye's balanced ideas have made him few partisan enemies.
Since taking over as Dean of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Nye has adopted a non-partisan approach to appointing his staff consistent with his political philosophy. Former Senator Bob Dole's chief of staff, for example, was recently appointed to the number two position at the institution.
Nye's most recent book, "Bound to Lead," appeared in 1990, and sought to refute growing popular opinion that American power and political prestige was dwindling at the turn of the century. He argued that the United States would not only maintain its "hard" power but was in fact best suited to lead the international transition to a new world order. The jury is still out on that debate, but renewed economic growth as well as technological advances in the United States lend strong credence to his conclusion for the moment.
Nye began his scholarly and prestigious career with a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford University, where he studied philosophy, politics and economics. After he finished his doctoral studies at Harvard University in 1964, he remained there to teach.
At Harvard, Nye befriended fellow international relations professor Robert Keohane, who now teaches at the University. Together, the two authored some of the most renowned literature in the field, including their 1977 landmark achievement: "Power and Interdependence: World Politics in Transition."
"I think that [Nye] distinguishes himself among academics in his ability to put policy issues together with a broad perspective of international relations," said Keohane. "He has an ability to move back and forth between these two levels. That is very unusual for an academic."
Having once considered a career in the Presbyterian ministry, he is also noted for his even-handed, ethical approach to his profession. He has even authored an unpublished book, titled "Dirty Hands," which includes a compilation of political caricatures concerned with ethical choices.
Students of foreign policy might run across Nye's writings on ethics sometime during their studies. "I think the main thing is to be aware of the difficulties of applying ethics in the international arena," Nye said. "It is particularly difficult on the international side because the unit of analysis is different and the trustees for the people might differ in their values."
Amid a backdrop of ideological politics and shrewd ideas, Nye has on balance achieved a great deal in the field of international relations.
Nye will be speaking at 4 p.m. in the Sanford Institute's Fleishman Commons.
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