(6.00 AUTUMN 1991 THE WILSON QUARTERLY THE AMERICAN ESTABLISHMENT? . .. RUSSIA'SFEVERBREAK -COLUMBUS WOODROW- EASTERNEUROPE - Woodrow Wilson A Life for World Peace JAN WILLEM SCHULTE NORDHOLT Translated by Herbert H. Rowen The Woodrow Wilson of this major new biography embodies the French proverb that great qualities and defects are inseparably joined. Internationally known Dutch historian JanWillem Schulte Nordholt writes withdeep understanding and empathy about America's twenty-eighth president (1913-1921),his admin- istration, and his role in world affairs. This biography, as beautifully translated as it is written, restores the figure of Wilson as an incurable dreamer, a poetic idealist whose romantic world viewenshrinedorganic, evolutionary progress. 575 pages, 16 photopa~~hs,$34.95 cloth to beleaguered nation In the Name of Democracy U. S. Policy Toward Latin America in the Reagan Years America at THOMAS CAROTHERS 'The most balanced and sophisticated account Century's End currently available of U.S. policy toward Latin Edited by ALAN WOLFE America in the 1980's, and of the complexities, 'The authors of this collection of firstrate essays tensions and difficulties inherent in making cast a cold and critical eye on the present state democratization a foreign policy objective. of American society, and provide multiple clues A 'must read.'" -Ambassador Viron P.Vakey, to the origins and causes of our current predica- Former Assistant Secretary of State merits."-Lewis Coser. for Inter-American Affairs 567 pages, $29.95 cloth 321 pages, $29.95 cloth At bookstores or order toll-free 1 -800-822-6657. Visa/MasterCard. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley Los Angeles New York Oxford FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY AUTUMN 1991 THE WILSON QUARTERLY Published by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars COVER STORY THE RISEAND FALL OF THE 21 A MERZCAN ESTABLISHMENT Although the American myth insists upon absolute equality, the United States, like every other nation, has always had a governing class. Be- tween World War II and the late 1960s, America's elite formed an influ- ential, if largely invisible, Establishment that helped make the United States the leader of the Free World. Painting that group at the height of its power, Max Holland profiles the "chairman" of the American Estab- lishment, John J. McCloy. John B. Judis describes the demise of the Establishment and its replacement by a congeries of narrowly self-inter- ested lobbies and factions. COLUMBUSAND THE LABYRINTHOF HISTORY 66 The approaching Quincentenary of the "discovery" of the New World has already set off heated ideological debates. Science writer John No- ble Wilford sifts through the many versions of Columbus's life and weighs the competing interpretations of his accomplishment. IDEAS \ R USSZA 'S FEVERBREAK The bungled August coup in the Soviet Union was part of a painful pro- cess of change that James H. Billington describes as a fever break. The patient's prospects? Billington finds hope in Russia's cultural traditions. REFLECTIONS DEPARTMENTS WOODROW WILSON, 106 From the Center 4 POLITICIAN Robert Dallek recalls the domestic triumphs Periodicals 9 of a president known too exclusively for his hopeful international designs. Current Books 92 Research Reports 138 THE 'OTHER'EUROPE AT 116 CENTURYSEND Commentary 140 Two years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, his- Cover: John J. McCloy at the helm, flanked, on the left, by torian John Lukacs finds some surprises in Clark Clifford and Dean Acheson, and, on the right, by Rob- Eastern Europe. ert McNamara and Dean Rusk. The artist is Salvador Bru. USPS 346-670 MA VOL. XV NO. 4 The Wilson Quarterlv (ISSN-0363-3276)is published in January (Winter) Apnl (Spring), July (Summer), and October (Autumn) by the Woodrow Wilson !nfeniational Cower ]or Scholars at 370 L'Enfant Promenade S. W., suite 704. Washington, D.C. 20024. Indexed biennially. Subscriptions: one year, $24; two years, $43. Outside U.S: one war, $30.50" two years $56. Air mail outside U.S.: one year, $39; 11~0years, $73. Single copies mailed upon request: $7; selected back issue.,: $7, includi~~fpostage and haidlinkoutside U.S. andpossessions, $8. Second-class postage paid af Washin ton D C , and additional 1~1aiIi11go ces. All tu~solicitedma~~i.script.s s110~1ld be occompa~~iedby a self.addressed .sta~~~pede~~t~elope. The views expressed fereh ir; ~otnecessori!~ tlro.se of she iVoodrow Wilson Iuten~ationalCenser for Scholars. Members: Send changes of address arid all .sub.scriplion correspondence wit11 Wilson Quarterly inailin label to Subscnber Service The Wilson Quarterly PO. Box 56161 Boulder Colo. 80322-6161. (Subscriber hot line: 1-800-876-8828.) Posma.ster: enf fall address chan es to he Wilson Quarterly, P.6. Box 56161, Boulder, bolo. 80301. Micro Im copies are available from University A4icrofil~??sI~~ten~atio~~al, 300 ~brtf Zeeb Road, Am Arbor, Mic11iga1148106. ll.SA. 17ewsstand dislrib~ilio?~4 Eastem Neiw Distrib~itors,II~c., 1130 Cleveland Road, Sandusky, Ohio 44870. THE PFIZER HEALTHCARE SERIES (VV oft* are none!) It's hard to believe that over 35 million Americans have a dangerous disease.. .very often without a symptom. But that's what high blood pressure (hypertension) is like. A hidden illness, yet one of the easiest to detect-and to treat. Untreated, it can affect your brain (stroke), your vision, heart (infarction),blood vessels and kidneys. Anyone can be affected, although factors such as age, sex, race or family background play a role. Fortunately, there's plenty that can be done to treat this condition. Only your doctor can diagnose hypertension, but you can help head it off through healthier liv- ing-reducing weight, cholesterol, salt intake, stress, anxiety and stopping smoking. An improved Mestyle, and blood pressure-controllingmedicines can substantially lower your risk for heart attacks and stroke. But the first step is to see your doctor Far a postcr-xized reprint oftins ini3,rsaLqc,write: Phnntiaci7~iticnlsGroup, P'zer Inc, P.O.Box 3852H, Gravid Ccvzt7nl Station, New 251.1;, NT 10163. A message in the interest of better health from A PARTNER IN HEALTHCARE" Editor Jay Tolson Deputy Editor Steven Lagerfeld Editor's Comment Managing Editor: James H. Carman Literary Editor Jefferv Paine ~ssociheEditor Robert K. Landers On the occasion of our 15th anniversary, I would like to Copy Editor Helen Loerke thank you, the WQ's many loyal readers, for your steady sup- Contrib~{tingEditor's Steven Fraser, Max Holland, Elizabeth Irene port and interest. Because of you, the WQ today enjoys one Lagerfeld, Walter Reich; Research- of the wider circulations (80,000) of any quarterly in the Eng- ei s M. Lawless Bean, Joseph D. lish-speaking world. This figure suggests not only that the Heiman, Thomas L Hudson, Karen WQ fills a niche in the literary marketplace but that there are L Iker, Michael S Knvan, Kirby Lunger, Knstina Ross, Adam Shear, still plenty of readers who take ideas seriously. We don't kid Jennifer M. Utrata; Librarian ourselves, of course. We realize that readers like you may ZdenEk V David; Editorial Advi~er~ belong to an endangered species. But as long as you're there, Mary B Bullock, Robert Darnton, you keep us going. And, in fact, you make the whole business Francis M Deng, Denis Donoghue, Nathan Glazer, Michael Haltzel, worth the candle. Harding, Elizabeth Johns, Mi- Appropriately perhaps, this issue adds up to a kind of ZZLacey, John R. Lampe, Jack- "New World Symphony." As well as John Noble Wilford's son Lears, Lawrence W Lichty, meditation on the enigmatic figure of Christopher Columbus Robert Litwak, Frank McConnell, James M Moms, Richard Morse, and the many meanings of his "discovery," we look at the Mancur Olson, Richard Ro futures of Russia and of Eastern Europe, two great new Ruble, Ann Sheffield. S Frederickr worlds of our day. In our cover story, Max Holland and John Starr, Joseph Tulchin; Founding Edi- Judis remind us of how the American Establishment tried to tor Peter Braestrup Publishing Director Warren B. Syer shape a new world order in the aftermath of World War II- Publisl~ei Kathy Read and of the surprising extent to which it succeeded. Finally, Busrnes~Manager Suzanne Turk among the many points made by historian Robert Dallek in Circulation Director Rosalie Bruno his portrait of Woodrow Wilson, one is that U.S. leaders Advertisitzg Director. Sara Lawrence 370 L'Enfant Promenade S. W. might profitably direct some of their new-world ambitions Suite 704 away from the glamor of the world stage toward the more Washington, D.C. 20024 urgent kitchenry of domestic affairs. (202) 287-3000 "This book is important for at least three reasons. First. its author has the good judgment to emphasize the too-often overlooked political dimensions of the nation's recent economic problems. Second. just as others-with their fingers to the political winds-retreat from advocating an industrial policy, Mr. Dietrich argues for such a policy and does so with strong evidence as well as conviction. Third, as CEO of a steel corporation and a recent Ph.D. in political science, he also writes with unique experience and perspective." -Walter LaFeber, Cornell University "A powerful call for a stronger government role to moder- nize the U.S. economic system. What makes it especially noteworthy is that the call comes from a business executive. When enough other CEOs join Bill Dietrich, we may be on the way to finding our proper place in the world economy." -Robert Heilbroner. New School for Social Research Available ~IY)I?IYOU/ local hook'it'llei, 01 ?60 Pun", $2450 PENN STATE PRESS 820 N University Dr University Park, PA 16802 814-865-1327 or the past nine months I have used tion of the platform of the first declared this space to write, briefly, about some Democratic presidential candidate, Paul topics that I perceive as important and in- Tsongas: "We need our resources here at teresting.