Anne Applebaum

It was the U S plus Europe, really the developed world, the US plus the richest countries in the world, plus Europe, plus the Asian democracies, plus Japan and South Korea and Australia, that group of countries which were able to act together to set the trade rules according to what, in a way that was beneficial, that could set the rules of international law or influence them so that

so that we had fewer wars. This was where the power of the United States lay, was in its ability to have these values-based alliances. Russia doesn't have them. China doesn't have them. The fact that we had them is what, for a long time, made us different. If we're just giving that up, we don't care anymore. Democracy is not part of who we are.

so that we had fewer wars. This was where the power of the United States lay, was in its ability to have these values-based alliances. Russia doesn't have them. China doesn't have them. The fact that we had them is what, for a long time, made us different. If we're just giving that up, we don't care anymore. Democracy is not part of who we are.

so that we had fewer wars. This was where the power of the United States lay, was in its ability to have these values-based alliances. Russia doesn't have them. China doesn't have them. The fact that we had them is what, for a long time, made us different. If we're just giving that up, we don't care anymore. Democracy is not part of who we are.

And anyway, we're going to do tariffs on Canada and Mexico. That's another story. You know, I don't know if you want to go down that road or not.

And anyway, we're going to do tariffs on Canada and Mexico. That's another story. You know, I don't know if you want to go down that road or not.

And anyway, we're going to do tariffs on Canada and Mexico. That's another story. You know, I don't know if you want to go down that road or not.

So I don't think I can emphasize enough how worried Europeans are about Musk, but also the broader problem that he represents of US social media companies changing the nature of politics in Europe. In a way, this article was a little bit inspired by the last conversation we had, which so much I no longer remember when that was.

So I don't think I can emphasize enough how worried Europeans are about Musk, but also the broader problem that he represents of US social media companies changing the nature of politics in Europe. In a way, this article was a little bit inspired by the last conversation we had, which so much I no longer remember when that was.

So I don't think I can emphasize enough how worried Europeans are about Musk, but also the broader problem that he represents of US social media companies changing the nature of politics in Europe. In a way, this article was a little bit inspired by the last conversation we had, which so much I no longer remember when that was.

And you used an expression that I realized was the right one, which is, you know, U.S. elections are kind of Las Vegas, right? Anyone can spend as much money as they want. You can do it anonymously. You can give out million-dollar checks to people in Pennsylvania anonymously. You know, there's no rules, right? It's just a free-for-all. Okay, most European countries don't work like that.

And you used an expression that I realized was the right one, which is, you know, U.S. elections are kind of Las Vegas, right? Anyone can spend as much money as they want. You can do it anonymously. You can give out million-dollar checks to people in Pennsylvania anonymously. You know, there's no rules, right? It's just a free-for-all. Okay, most European countries don't work like that.

And you used an expression that I realized was the right one, which is, you know, U.S. elections are kind of Las Vegas, right? Anyone can spend as much money as they want. You can do it anonymously. You can give out million-dollar checks to people in Pennsylvania anonymously. You know, there's no rules, right? It's just a free-for-all. Okay, most European countries don't work like that.

Like, there are laws about funding and about transparency and about political advertising. Some of those countries have hate speech laws that they take very seriously, and they're related to their own history. You know, Germany has hate speech laws because they would like to prevent the Nazi party from rising to power again. You know, so they have these laws, and they're sovereign countries, right?

Like, there are laws about funding and about transparency and about political advertising. Some of those countries have hate speech laws that they take very seriously, and they're related to their own history. You know, Germany has hate speech laws because they would like to prevent the Nazi party from rising to power again. You know, so they have these laws, and they're sovereign countries, right?

Like, there are laws about funding and about transparency and about political advertising. Some of those countries have hate speech laws that they take very seriously, and they're related to their own history. You know, Germany has hate speech laws because they would like to prevent the Nazi party from rising to power again. You know, so they have these laws, and they're sovereign countries, right?

They're allowed to have laws. And hate speech laws, remember, protect the speech rights of people who have been doxxed or harassed as well. So it's not that they don't have free speech. Of course they do. In some ways, it's more free than ours because people aren't scared to speak out. But nevertheless, they have laws. So the question is, if U.S.

They're allowed to have laws. And hate speech laws, remember, protect the speech rights of people who have been doxxed or harassed as well. So it's not that they don't have free speech. Of course they do. In some ways, it's more free than ours because people aren't scared to speak out. But nevertheless, they have laws. So the question is, if U.S.

They're allowed to have laws. And hate speech laws, remember, protect the speech rights of people who have been doxxed or harassed as well. So it's not that they don't have free speech. Of course they do. In some ways, it's more free than ours because people aren't scared to speak out. But nevertheless, they have laws. So the question is, if U.S.

social media companies are still compatible with those laws, if you're able to pay secretly for advertising on Instagram or on X or on YouTube in ways that are not transparent, And if you're able to defy the laws of your country going around them using the social media companies, then are you still able to set the rules of your own elections? Like, do you get to have your own elections?