Unshackled: How Economic Growth Can Defeat the World's Dictators

In an era of increasingly adversarial geopolitical tensions, how can the United States restore its economic standing on the world stage?

The United States and its liberal democratic allies have experienced a steady decline in global economic influence since the end of the Cold War. With the rise of China and other developing economies and against the backdrop of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, the United States has found itself less able to leverage trade relationships and forge broad coalitions to combat autocratic adversaries. Fiscal pressures have constrained military deterrence initiatives and development assistance budgets, diminishing US hard and soft power alike.

This book outlines a strategy to reverse these trends, arguing for a renewed commitment to ambitious economic dynamism and deeper economic integration with like-minded countries. By tackling a range of international trade policies and domestic barriers to healthy economic growth, the United States can restore the competitive advantage it needs to counter the world's emerging authoritarian powers.

• Publication date: 3 September 2026
• Page count: 240
• Dimensions: Height 216 mm; Width 140 mm
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
• Format: Paperback
• ISBN-13: 9798765136881