The U.S. Special Relationship With Britain Needs a Rest

Many Americans still regard Britain as the U.S.'s political and cultural parent. Despite the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, the U.S. and the U.K. eventually developed a special relationship that endured throughout the 20th century. Together, the two defeated the Axis and communism, and established a global order based on free trade and (eventually) universal human rights. But even before that diplomatic alliance solidified, cultural and technological exchange between the two countries was immense -- British inventions powered America’s industrial revolution, and British notions of natural rights and tolerance formed the basis of U.S. government. In economics, British influence on the U.S. has been immense -- Adam Smith, Alfred Marshall and John Maynard Keynes are just three of the intellectuals who revolutionized American thinking from across the Atlantic.

Thus, it is with a heavy heart that I write this article: The time has come for a hiatus in this special relationship. The U.K. is going through a time of extreme internal trouble, and a number of bad ideas are emerging from the chaos. The U.S. needs to reduce, at least temporarily, its reliance on British ideas.