For much of the last century, the United States was admired as much for what it was at home as for what it did abroad. This combination was key to its eventual triumph over the Soviet Union. Today, however, the exceptionalism that won the Cold War has vanished. In its place is an America that has lost its way domestically and internationally. The two are intertwined. If the United States wants to regain its place in the world, it will have to look inward, for the problem lies there.

After World War II, the United States grabbed the mantle of global leadership to forge the iconic alliances and institutions that remain to this day: NATO, the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and much more. It brimmed with confidence in its newfound mission, which was to lead what became known as the “free world” through the Cold War, with the expectation that victory would yield a new era of peace and prosperity.

America’s unrivaled power around the world had domestic roots—in its democratic institutions, dynamic economy, vibrant culture, and optimistic, future-oriented outlook. Its economy promised opportunity, its democracy rights and justice. Admittedly, none of these ideals were ever fully realized. But although the United States failed to achieve universal justice and opportunity, over the postwar decades it at least appeared to be moving in this direction.

Read the full commentary at The Atlantic Council.