Once upon a time, there was the American Dream, “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone,” as James Truslow Adams described it in his book The Epic of America (1931). Today we have the American Promise. Unveiled by Barack Obama in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, the Promise … [Read More]

Since the start of 2008, a new international sport has emerged: Yellow Peril-mongering. International politicians, commentators and activists have competed to see who can issue the shrillest and most spine-tingling warning about the threat posed by the Chinese to the safety, security, and self-esteem of Western civilisation. Inexorably, the Beijing Olympics—which are now in full swing—have been turned into an all-purpose … [Read More]