What’s behind Europe’s push to abandon capitalism?

Plus, Biden’s year in foreign policy assessed, and a chat with the U.K. ambassador. DECEMBER 19, 2023  |  [VIEW IN BROWSER](  |  [SUBSCRIBE](     Foreign Policy Illustration/Getty Images In August of this year, Jessi Jezewska Stevens attended the ninth International Degrowth Conference in Zagreb, Croatia. “With its deepest roots in direct democracy and anti-capitalism,” Stevens explains, “the degrowth movement is bent on challenging the central tenet of postwar economics: that further increases in GDP … translate to further advances in social and individual well-being.” Stevens went to Croatia to understand why degrowth is proving an attraction, rather than a turnoff, for a rising minority of European leftists. Why the sudden interest in this radical program? Why Europe, and why now? Read Stevens’s essay, “[The Relentless Growth of Degrowth Economics](,” to find out. This is the final edition of FP This Week for the year. Thank you for reading this year, and see you on Jan. 9 for more insights and analysis into our turbulent world. Until then, enjoy the season wherever you are.—The editors P.S. Start the new year with new perspectives. For a limited time, [take $100 off]( an FP subscription and enjoy unlimited access to exclusive content, expert interviews, and forward-looking analysis. Plus, your subscription will include a new print issue, coming in January. Become a subscriber today for unparalleled understanding of the latest geopolitical news.   New and Noteworthy - 2023 Wrapped: In the latest edition of their biweekly “[It’s Debatable](” column, FP’s Emma Ashford and Matt Kroenig took a step back to reflect on 2023 and Washington’s place in foreign-policy discussions. From the stalled Ukrainian counteroffensive to shapeshifting U.S.-China relations, Ashford and Kroenig assessed U.S. President Joe Biden’s foreign policy and just how overstretched the United States was in 2023. Add “It’s Debatable” to your [My FP profile]( to receive informed and lively conversations in your inbox every two weeks. - The Optimist: FP’s Amy Mackinnon recently sat down with the British ambassador to the United States, Karen Pierce, a self-professed “total girl” with a passion for military hardware—and 41 years of diplomatic experience under her belt. In this [FP interview](, Pierce recalls some of the “gladiatorial sparring matches” that have defined her career, what she really thinks of her Russian counterparts, and why she’s still an optimist. - Ask Ravi Anything: By popular demand, FP’s editor in chief, Ravi Agrawal, returned for a second ask-me-anything installment. Turning the tables on the host of FP Live, the magazine’s executive editor, Amelia Lester, quizzed Agrawal on how the Israel-Hamas war might impact the U.S. presidential election next year, the future of Ukraine, and how FP makes decisions about which world events to cover. Check out [highlights of that discussion]( on demand.   FP Live Subscriber Exclusive: Stephen Walt Looks Back—and AheadDec. 27 | 12 p.m. ET From Europe to the Middle East and beyond, war has dominated geopolitics and divided the world this year. It’s also made progress on other global challenges—the food crisis, inflation, and climate change—harder to accomplish. What events and trends shaped foreign policy in 2023? What about 2024? FP columnist and Harvard University professor Stephen M. Walt answers these questions in the first part of this subscriber-exclusive conversation. [Available on Dec. 27](. 10 Conflicts to Watch in 2024Jan. 12 | 11 a.m. ETWith bloodshed and human suffering ravaging so many nations around the globe, the world enters 2024 on edge. Even if the war between Israel and Hamas ends in a cease-fire, could it ignite a larger regional conflict? Will Ukraine attempt a negotiated settlement with Russia? Which other conflicts don’t get enough attention from Western media? Comfort Ero, the president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, will join FP’s Ravi Agrawal for a look at the world’s biggest flash points in 2024. [Register now](.   EXCLUSIVE OFFER [Treat yourself to a global perspective]( This holiday season, unwrap the gift of global insights with Foreign Policy! For a limited time, save $100 on your subscription and get unlimited access to forward-looking analysis and unique insights on global events that matter now. Act fast. Offer expires soon. [GET OFFER](   Most Popular on FP [An outdoor screen in Beijing shows a news program about Chinese President Xi Jinping meeting US President Joe Biden during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' week in California on November 16, 2023. ]( [Does America Have an Endgame on China?]( Washington wants change—but it can come in stages. By Zack Cooper [Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (center) leads a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's executive committee regarding the situation in the besieged Gaza Strip in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 18. At right is Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki. ]( [How Saudi Arabia Could Use Its Leverage in Gaza]( Riyadh might have a great deal of influence over the future of Israel and Palestine, but it is waiting for a genuine and viable peace process. By Aziz Alghashian [A 1901 political cartoon depicts an Uncle Sam rooster with European roosters in the Monroe Doctrine coop (left) and South American countries running around free as smaller roosters. The original caption read: ]( [The Return of the Monroe Doctrine]( U.S. responses to China’s growing presence in Latin America risk falling into an old paternalistic pattern. By Tom Long, Carsten-Andreas Schulz [Technicians prepare a plenary hall ahead of COP28 in Dubai on Nov. 29.]( [The Key Takeaways From COP28]( Here’s what the summit did—and didn’t—change. By Chloe Hadavas [Does America Have an Endgame on China?]( Washington wants change—but it can come in stages. By Zack Cooper [How Saudi Arabia Could Use Its Leverage in Gaza](Riyadh might have a great deal of influence over the future of Israel and Palestine, but it is waiting for a genuine and viable peace process. By Aziz Alghashian [The Return of the Monroe Doctrine](U.S. responses to China’s growing presence in Latin America risk falling into an old paternalistic pattern. By Tom Long, Carsten-Andreas Schulz [The Key Takeaways From COP28](Here’s what the summit did—and didn’t—change. By Chloe Hadavas   From Around FP - Our Podcast Roundup: Need something to binge on your holiday travels? Throughout the year, FP has created and produced countless podcast episodes to make sense of foreign-policy developments, debates, and major global moments. Check out all of our podcasts [here](, including the latest Season 3 of [The Negotiators](, Season 3 of [The Catch](, and new episodes of [Global Reboot](. Enjoy our full catalog of podcasts now on [Apple](, [Spotify](, or wherever you listen. - The Economic Impacts of AI: As generative artificial intelligence continues to expand, concerns about the automation of international industry grow in tandem. How can governments, the private sector, and other global institutions integrate GenAI across industries—from high tech to life sciences and banking—to further economic development? Join Foreign Policy and the Special Competitive Studies Project on Jan. 24 for the third installment of a six-part series to examine the future of generative AI. [Register now](, and catch up with [Part 1]( and [Part 2](. 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