More than a century after the Fourteen Points, does Woodrow Wilson’s vision still speak to today’s international politics? The answer is yes, at least according to Natasha Jacome, President and CEO of the Wilson Center, who spoke to Decode39 on the sidelines of “Classical Foundations and Moral Authority”, an event organised by the National Endowment for the Humanities (with the support of the Wilson Center) in the Sala del Refettorio at Palazzo San Macuto, part of the Italian Chamber of Deputies.
Q: You lead a research centre named after Woodrow Wilson, a president whose actions were grounded in moral authority and similar ideas. Do you think his vision and approach can still work today?
A: Yes, I am convinced they can. In addition to being a research centre, we are also a presidential memorial, a living memorial, and President Wilson’s vision of international cooperation and exchange is very close to our hearts
- Creating opportunities for in-depth research and connecting it to policymaking is an idea that is still alive today, and it is one of his most important legacies. Of course, times have changed, and today there may be different approaches and different people at the table. But the idea of the Fourteen Points, the importance of relations between the United States and European partners, and the fact that so many share the same foundations remain relevant.
- I believe Wilson would be very pleased to see that the Wilson Center’s mission continues 59 years after its establishment by Congress, many years after his presidency. A mission that continues to follow the same original values: connecting in-depth, nonpartisan research to the challenges of international politics.
Q: Speaking of international politics, is following moral principles today more of an obstacle or more of a strength for an actor on the international stage?
A: I believe it is undoubtedly a strength. It is dangerous to get too caught up in the new culture of charisma, the pursuit of popularity and clickbait. Many politicians and decision-makers have told me that values no longer resonate enough. I have told them, however, that they still matter.
- When you are sitting at the table, your values and principles matter, and when you engage with people, authenticity matters, as does the fact that they know where you stand. Perhaps at first this does not guarantee you maximum popularity.
- But I believe that, in the long run, people want to know they are following someone who stands up for what they believe in. Because that is precisely the person you want when difficult decisions have to be made.
Q: Looking at this issue in the context of the confrontation between the West and authoritarian actors such as China or Russia, how important is it to fight for these principles in this “competition”?
A: It is extremely important. And conferences like this one are truly relevant in this regard, because our foundations are deeply aligned. Even within the Western sphere, we can find smaller issues on which there is considerable disagreement or tension at the moment.
- But we deeply believe in democracy and in the same founding values that underpin it. We must spread this message and remember our history, how many people died defending those principles, and how many new generations today live in a democratic and free world precisely because of them. This is crucial, and this is where we must start, especially in the face of the populism that can sometimes be found in the authoritarian world.
Q: If you could choose one classical text to put in the hands of every politician in the world, which would it be and why?
A: Good question. I am not sure. I would say Dante, if only because I talked about him at length yesterday. More generally, I believe we need to make sure that we bring not just one of these texts, but all of them, back to the forefront.
- Today, unless someone has studied them, the classics are not really rooted in everyday life, not even in domestic politics in Washington. So I do not know which one I would choose.
- Perhaps something connected to Rome, since we are here. In any case, I would choose something that helps people understand what the classics can still mean for domestic politics today.
