9/11 was the beginning of the end of American democracy

As the twenty-fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks arrives, a wave of analysis suggests the event served as a catalyst for the deterioration of American democracy and global stability. According to coverage from The Hill, 9/11 marked the beginning of the end for American democracy, while Black Agenda Report links the attacks to a broader Great American Decline. Major outlets are focusing on the systemic fallout of the post-9/11 era. The New Arab reports that a US overreaction after the attacks helped build today's illiberal world, while Bloomberg asserts that the world remains broken due to the conditions created on September 11. The New York Times questions whether the date really changed everything, and National Review examines how the attacks changed American politics forever.

Simultaneously, Slow Boring and The Argument explore the subsequent crisis of global liberalism, highlighting a shift away from the democratic ideals the US previously championed on the world stage. Contextual analysis reveals a significant realignment of global power. GZERO Media and Yahoo report that China and the BRICS nations emerged from the shadow of 9/11 to create a new balance of power. The Times notes that China specifically learned from the mistakes the US made following the attacks. Furthermore, The Independent highlights how two decades of war unleashed by 9/11 have created damage that Vladimir Putin is now exploiting.

The geopolitical shift is not limited to superpowers; The Conversation notes that New Zealand experienced a retreat of its independent foreign policy during this period. Future observation will likely center on the diverging views of the American public and the continued erosion of faith in leadership. The Christian Science Monitor reports that American views on the US role on the world stage have diverged over the last 25 years. Additionally, The Colorado Sun features perspectives from Littwin suggesting a direct line can be drawn from the events of 9/11 to the loss of faith in the world of Donald Trump today. Proshare suggests that the reordering of the global system via security priorities will remain a primary lens for understanding current international relations.