Jeffrey Sachs and the Search for a Safer World

 Jeffrey Sachs and the Search for a Safer World

To be an enemy of the United States is dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal

By Prof. Suresh Deman*

Centre for Strategic Affairs, London

These chilling words, famously uttered by Henry Kissinger and echoed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, capture the underlying message of one of the most arresting public conversations on geopolitics in recent memory. Sachs, speaking as part of The Saxophone series—an initiative aptly named to give voice to resonant truths—laid bare the state of the world and the crises at its core: U.S. hegemony, democratic decay, environmental peril, and the fracture of global cooperation.

In this wide-ranging, candid exchange, Sachs brought not just knowledge but conviction. His “Sachs Doctrine” stands diametrically opposed to the so-called “Washington Consensus.” Rather than dictate terms from a single capital, Sachs argues for adherence to a global consensus, forged in 2015 through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. But that consensus, he warns, is crumbling, led by the very nation that once claimed to champion international norms: the United States.

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America’s One-Man Show: Governance by Decree

The heart of Sachs's alarm lies in what he calls America’s “one-man show.” The U.S. president, through executive orders cloaked in emergency powers, has declared trade wars and foreign policy shifts without debate or Congressional oversight. Sachs notes that the U.S. Constitution’s carefully constructed system of checks and balances is now being bypassed. The result? Governance by fiat. “If we had the Indian Supreme Court,” Sachs quipped, “I wouldn’t worry.” But the American judiciary, in his view, may not have the courage—or independence—to hold the presidency accountable.

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Divide, Conquer, and Use: The Empire’s Playbook

Prof. Sachs minced no words in warning India: “The U.S. wants to use India to beat up China.” This, he claims, is the classic imperial tactic of “divide and conquer,” inherited directly from the British Empire. That's how Empires behave, and that's what the US learned from the master Empire of all the British, and we still try to apply it, so the U.S loves for India to be in the QUAD. It wants India to bash China,  I heard some Indian politicians recently saying, no, it's not Donald Trump's trade policy. It's all because of China. No, not exactly. It's actually because of Donald Trump, so just be careful not to play the game. This is really a U.S game, India's too big for a U.S game. Anchoring Palki Uppdhayay abruptly remarked, "The advice is well taken. Maybe India also wants to beat up China, but on its own terms."  Prof. Sachs responded, "India, the world's most populous country, must resist playing junior partner in America’s geopolitical games. “You are an alliance in and of yourself,” Sachs declared, asserting that India’s civilizational maturity and strategic autonomy must guide its path—not alignment with power blocs.

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On Ukraine, Taiwan, and the U.S. War Machine

The war in Ukraine, Sachs argued, was avoidable. It stems, in his telling, not from unprovoked aggression but from decades of NATO expansion right to Russia’s borders. “I was there,” he said, recalling his time as an advisor to President Gorbachev. “The U.S. promised not to expand NATO—and then lied.”

Could Trump end the war? Possibly, Sachs admitted. “If he simply says NATO won’t expand to Ukraine, it’s over.” But the political will for peace, Sachs suggests, is secondary to the U.S. drive for global military presence, from Ukraine to Taiwan. “If Taiwan thinks the U.S. will save it, God help us,” he warned. Echoing the lessons of Ukraine, Sachs described U.S. promises as “fatal” for small nations caught in the crossfire of empire.

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India’s Role: From Balancer to Peacemaker

What then is India’s place in this unfolding drama? Sachs sees India as a stabilizing force and a natural candidate for permanent membership on the U.N. Security Council. He has a suggestion—one he offers as a “little secret”: “Ask China to support your seat. It’s good for India, it’s good for China, and it’s good for the world.”

In a time of global volatility, Sachs finds hope in India’s democracy, its peaceful elections, and its message at the G20: “The world is one family.” With 600 million voters participating in a largely peaceful election, India has demonstrated the kind of civic strength that Sachs believes is sorely missing in many Western capitals.

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Can Globalization Survive American Neurosis?

Sachs is not anti-American. He is an American who believes his country has lost its way. “The U.S. expected to be number one forever,” he said. “It’s a neurosis. And it will come to resent India too, once you overtake it.” But the rise of Asia, led by India and China, is not a threat—it is the inevitable correction of centuries of distortion. Sachs implores these nations to work together, settle differences, and avoid being drawn into proxy conflicts for declining powers.

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On AI, Peace, and the Future

In a final flourish, Sachs even found time to endorse artificial intelligence, specifically for its ability to show both sides of an argument. “ChatGPT,” he said, “would give you a better answer than the U.N. Security Council. At least it shows multiple perspectives. Unlike Washington, where there’s only one narrative.”

This wasn’t just wit. It was a message: If we start by listening to one another, we may yet avoid catastrophe.

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The Final Note: A Prescription for a World in Crisis

Jeffrey Sachs is not offering a conspiracy theory. He is offering a deeply informed analysis drawn from decades of experience advising leaders across continents. He is calling for a return to diplomacy, humility, and multilateralism in a time when bombs and executive orders dominate the headlines.

This conversation—this Saxophone—was not just a performance. It was a call to reason and to action.

In a world teetering between cooperation and collapse, Sachs’ message resonates like a clear note in the din of geopolitics: There is still time to choose peace.

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* Artisle is based on Prof Sachs' many lectures and the author's own views. Prof. Suresh Deman is Director of the Centre for Strategic Affairs, London. He has advised governments on economic and geopolitical policy and writes regularly on international relations and political economy.

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