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Images by oxign and Oleksii Liskonih/Getty Images
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Why do nations rise and fall? Succeed or fail? Enjoy stability or descend into chaos?
RAND researchers have been exploring these questions in recent years, focusing on one key set of factors: the qualities of a nation's society. In a new report, our experts dig deeper into this concept of “societal advantage,” analyzing how American views on what makes for a successful society contrast with those of China and Russia.
The authors conclude that differing beliefs about societal advantage have created an “essential standoff” in the competition between the United States and its chief rivals. Beijing and Moscow have a narrower recipe for national success—one that’s based on nationalism, centralized authority, and willpower. Washington’s vision is more expansive—built on networked power, grassroots dynamism, and the values of openness and freedom.
The U.S. approach may be more sustainable, study coauthor Michael Mazarr wrote this week, but only if the United States can “get [its] act together.” America's biggest barrier to success isn’t the power or strategic genius of its rivals, he said, but rather its own flaws.
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Small, inexpensive drones are widely available. This has been a boon to hobbyists and commercial industries, but the rise of drones also brings novel risks. For instance, conspirators use drones to deliver illicit goods to prisons and jails—everything from drugs and cell phones to more-serious contraband, such as weapons and tools that can aid in escape. RAND convened a group of correctional security experts to learn more about this emerging risk and how to overcome barriers to addressing it, including funding, technological challenges, and staffing issues. Read more »
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“The moment patients arrive at any health care facility,” says RAND's Shira Fischer, “they lose control of their data.” That's because patient privacy laws have two somewhat conflicting goals: They are not just designed to protect individual health care information; they also aim to make health data appropriately shareable. Sharing data helps support coordinated care by giving health care providers access to important patient information. However, it also means that personal health data can be used for medical research—often without a patient's consent or knowledge. More needs to be done to ensure that privacy laws meet their two objectives, Fischer says, because right now, “we're failing at both.” Read more »
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RAND Recommends
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- In a new Q&A, RAND experts discuss the potential risks associated with AI. Might any of these risks be catastrophic or even existential? And how might humanity approach reducing AI risk?
- RAND's Alexandra Stark was a guest on the None of the Above podcast to discuss the Houthis' continued attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, the U.S. response, and what it will take to end the crisis.
- What can the U.S. government do to ensure that the security clearance process is not only better understood but also fair and equitable? See how RAND experts answered this question at a virtual event last month.
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Events
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Thursday, March 21, 2024 – Online
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