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Democracies Aren’t the Best at Long-Term Strategy — But They Can Be

The Insider
Beniamino Irdi and Nicole Wiley
April 28, 2026

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Episode Notes:

Beniamino Irdi unpacks his arguments that just because democracies currently struggle with long-term strategic thinking (at least in comparison to China), there is room for improvement, as this struggle isn't a baked-in part of democratic systems. Irdi cautions against treating China as the golden example of building a successful long-term strategy, but draws on concrete examples of what enables China to think and act across longer timeframes, and makes the case that democracies have both the capacity and the room to relearn what they've lost.

Image: The White House via Wikimedia Commons