“American inequality gives one more reason you don’t have to follow the American lead,” he said.
Walt also highlighted the positive influence of American higher education in the spread of democracy because it exposes a large number of foreign students to democratic principles.
“That, if you are patient, is a more effective way of promoting democracy.”
The audience consisted primarily of Kennedy School students and local Cambridge residents.
“This is by far the most intimidating audience I will meet all year,” Walt said since, as a dean at the Kennedy School, he would be seeing them again.
But student response was generally positive.
“Dialogues like these are terrific,” said James A. Ponce, a first-year student at the Kennedy School. “But here is not where they need to be happening.”
Ponce’s response reflects some of the frustrations about lack of change in government that are outlined in Walt’s book, “Taming American Power: Global Response to US Primacy,” which was released two weeks ago.