Although Foreign Policy magazine has always been non-partisan, it has never been anything other than political—in all senses of that term. FP seeks to understand the broad spectrum of global political events, from wars to pandemics to elections to intellectual debates. But it also offers views on politics from the vantage of its practitioners—the distinct perspective of those who critique power because they have wielded it before, and hope to do so again.
FP’s clearest line to eavesdrop on policymaking conversations has been Shadow Government. Strictly defined, the idea of a “loyal opposition” is a parliamentary concept foreign to the United States. But the Shadow Government forum has hosted the functional equivalent: Whichever party controls the White House, experienced policymakers from the opposing side are invited to critique the decision-making—the priorities, strategies, and tactics—of those in power, and chart their own ideological future. Such articles are featured across the entire Foreign Policy website, but Shadow Government, by its very design, offers a unique preview of future U.S. governments.
