Jimmy Carter, the 39th US President, passed away on December 29, 2024, at his home in Plains, Georgia, at age 100.
If there’s anything that encapsulates the Jimmy Carter’s presidency, it is the idea that true power is not defined by the position you once held, but by the lasting influence you leave behind – as some leaders continue to influence the world long after gone. This sentiment perfectly reflects Carter’s political, diplomatic, and humanitarian contributions.
Impact on peace and human rights
In February 2023, nearly two years before his death, Jimmy Carter chose to forgo further medical treatment after a series of hospitalizations, opting instead to spend his remaining time in palliative care at home. His wife (77), Rosalyn Carter, passed away on November 19, 2023, at age 96.
Jimmy Carter, the oldest living former American president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, left a lasting legacy in American politics. His death marked the end of an era, as he will be remembered for his humanitarian efforts and his dedication to promoting peace and human rights worldwide.
Carter’s impact extended far beyond his presidency. For decades after, he continued to champion global peace, human rights, and the fight against poverty, solidifying his reputation as a tireless advocate for humanity.
While he was an experienced politician, Carter’s true influence stemmed from his unwavering commitment to addressing global challenges and upholding human values. He remains a symbol of leadership that continues to inspire and shape the world long after his presidency.
A visionary mandate filled with crises
Carter’s presidency was overshadowed by the Iranian hostage crisis and the challenging economic conditions in the US, both of which contributed to his defeat in the 1980 election. Although he was unpopular during his time in office, the decades following his defeat saw Carter become one of America’s most respected former presidents.
As the governor of Georgia, Carter entered the 1976 Democratic primary as an underdog. Winning the primary was a greater challenge than defeating the incumbent Republican president, Gerald Ford, in the general election. Ford faced significant political burdens, including the fallout from the Watergate scandal, which led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation. As Nixon’s vice president, Ford assumed the presidency for only two years and carried the political baggage of having pardoned Nixon, preventing his prosecution. Carter narrowly defeated Ford, demonstrating that while he was not the strongest Democratic candidate, he was able to overcome the odds. His victory brought a southern president to the White House for the first time in a century.
Jimmy Carter, the oldest living former American president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, left a lasting legacy in American politics. His death marked the end of an era, as he will be remembered for his humanitarian efforts and his dedication to promoting peace and human rights worldwide.
Jimmy Carter promised he would restore the citizens’ lost trust in politics and form a government “as good as the American people”.
Once in office, he sought to change the way politics operated in Washington but was ultimately unsuccessful. Like Barack Obama three decades later, Carter began his campaign as an outsider within the Democratic Party. However, unlike Obama, he lacked the necessary support from his own party, Congress, the Senate, the military, and the CIA to bring about significant change. Additionally, Carter’s inexperience in governance and the global crises that emerged during his presidency further complicated his tenure.
From the beginning of Carter’s term, the US economy faced significant challenges. High inflation and unemployment created a sense of economic crisis, worsened by the second oil crisis in 1979. Carter was unable to resolve these issues, and by 1980, inflation had risen to over 10%, with unemployment exceeding 7%.
Carter as the forefather of green agenda
Towards the end of his presidency in 1979, Carter sought to initiate an economic and political shift. In a national address, he urged Americans to reject consumerism and embrace traditional American values. As part of his response to the energy crisis, he encouraged citizens to carpool and lower heating in their homes.
While the speech initially received some praise, it quickly became politically counterproductive. Instead of inspiring optimism during a time of crisis, critics argued that Carter’s message projected defeatism and a fear of decline. Despite the backlash, Carter was the first president to propose a comprehensive strategy for addressing America’s dependence on oil. His approach, though controversial at the time, anticipated what is now widely recognized as the foundation of the “green agenda.”
Carter’s greatest achievement was the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, which remains one of the greatest foreign policy successes in the Middle East. After negotiations, Anwar al-Sadat Egyptian President and Menachem Begin the Israeli Prime Minister signed a peace agreement in Carter’s presence, for which they were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize later that year.
Nobel Peace Laureate and the Camp David Accords
Carter’s most significant achievement was the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, widely regarded as one of the greatest foreign policy successes in the Middle East. After intensive secret negotiations, Anwar al-Sadat, Egyptian President and Menachem Begin, the Israeli Prime Minister signed a historic peace agreement in Carter’s presence, for which they received the Nobel Peace Prize later that year. The treaty between Egypt and Israel remains in effect to this day.
Carter also played a pivotal role in shaping US foreign policy in the Persian Gulf. In 1980, he announced the Carter Doctrine, declaring that any attempt to bring the Persian Gulf region under foreign control would be considered an attack on vital US interests and countered, if necessary, with military force. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Carter’s administration began training and arming the Afghan Mujahideen with modern weapons—a strategy that had far-reaching consequences, as some of those weapons were later used against the US.
Iranian hostage crisis
Carter’s greatest failure was the 1979 storming of the US embassy in Tehran by radical Iranian students during the Iranian Islamic Revolution, which saw Ayatollah Khomeini overthrow Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. The students took embassy officials hostage, an act Carter condemned as terrorism, emphasizing that the US would never submit to blackmail.
Carter initially pursued diplomatic negotiations to secure the hostages’ release, but these efforts were unsuccessful. In April 1980, he authorized a military rescue mission, which ended in disaster. Eight American soldiers and one Iranian were killed, and the operation’s failure became a defining moment of his presidency.
The images of blindfolded US. embassy officials, paraded as hostages by their captors, and the wreckage of an American helicopter with the bodies of the fallen soldiers, remain seared into the collective memory of Americans. These two images not only symbolized the struggles of Carter’s presidency but also continue to define the complex relationship between the US and Iran.
Discussions on Jimmy Carter’s legacy have recently resurfaced, just a week after his passing. President-elect Donald Trump directly referenced Carter: “giving the Panama Canal to Panama was a very big mistake, and I believe that’s why Jimmy Carter lost the election, in my opinion.”
Founder of the Carter Center
After the 1980 election, Democrats accused Republicans of having secret contacts with Iranian officials during the campaign, allegedly encouraging them to delay the release of American hostages to avoid benefiting President Carter politically. While these claims have never been proven, suspicions were fueled by the fact that the hostages were released after 444 days in captivity—on the very day that Carter’s successor, Republican candidate Ronald Reagan, was sworn in as president.
Carter’s decisive defeat in the election was further attributed to Reagan’s charisma. Reagan, often compared to Donald Trump for his background in show business, became the first US president with a career in entertainment.
After his electoral loss, Carter redirected his focus to the global stage. In Atlanta, he founded the Carter Center, which became a prominent advocate for human rights and conflict resolution worldwide, often taking controversial positions. Domestically, Carter concentrated on assisting impoverished communities, spearheading initiatives such as the Atlanta Project, which positively impacted hundreds of thousands of people in his home state of Georgia.
Tito’s acquaintance
What makes Jimmy Carter significant for the Western Balkans?
He was the last US president to visit Belgrade. His trip to Yugoslavia, in June 1980, was part of a broader European tour. Belgrade held particular importance on this tour due to Yugoslavia’s prominent role in the Non-Aligned Movement and its position as a key mediator between East and West during the Cold War.
During his visit, Carter paid his respects at the Josip Broz Tito tomb, whom he had met in 1978 when Tito visited Washington. Their discussions at the time focused on improving bilateral relations and addressing international issues. At the conclusion of Carter’s 1980 visit to Belgrade, a joint statement with Cvijetin Mijatović, then-president of the Presidency of the SFRY, emphasized “hearty and constructive talks conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect, understanding, sincerity, and friendship.”
Carter’s visit further strengthened relations between the US and Yugoslavia, reaffirming a shared commitment to peace and stability in the region. More than four decades later, it remains a significant historical moment. It is often recalled in discussions surrounding the recent signing of a strategic dialogue agreement between Serbia and the US, aimed at improving their bilateral relationship.
Speculation about whether newly elected US President Donald Trump might visit Belgrade highlights the fact that it has been over 40 years since the last visit by a US president, making Carter’s trip all the more noteworthy.
The images of blindfolded US embassy officials, paraded as hostages by their captors, and the wreckage of an American helicopter with the bodies of the fallen soldiers, remain seared into the collective memory of Americans. These two images not only symbolized the struggles of Carter’s presidency but also continue to define the complex relationship between the US and Iran.
A visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina
One of former US President Jimmy Carter’s notable missions was his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in December 1994. During his trip to Pale, Carter met with Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić. His efforts led to the signing of a four-month ceasefire and an agreement from the Bosnian Serbs to continue peace negotiations. However, Carter also pushed for the immediate signing of the peace plan, raising questions about the overall scope and impact of his mission.
Carter’s visit was seen as an attempt by Karadžić to sideline Slobodan Milošević and take a more direct role in the negotiations. Around the same time, Zoran Djindjić traveled to Moscow with a message from Pale. Shortly thereafter, former Russian Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar visited Belgrade and Pale as an emissary of Russian President Boris Yeltsin, delivering an offer to the Bosnian Serbs that was almost identical to Carter’s.
Trump’s Accusations
Jimmy Carter’s legacy has recently resurfaced in discussions, just a week after his passing. President-elect Donald Trump directly referenced Carter: “giving the Panama Canal to Panama was a very big mistake, and I believe that’s why Jimmy Carter lost the election, in my opinion.” In the 1980 presidential election, Carter indeed suffered one of the most decisive defeats in modern US history, reflecting his low standing in public opinion polls at the time.
However, Carter’s electoral loss did not diminish his significance on the international stage. Many of his decisions, such as the transfer of the Panama Canal to Panama, have since been recognized as visionary, despite the controversies they initially sparked.
This renewed debate is not solely about Carter’s past political decisions but also reflects a broader conflict between two contrasting visions of America’s role in the world—one represented by Carter’s diplomacy and long-term strategy, and the other by Trump’s approach to policy and leadership.
The historic Panama Canal Treaty
On September 7, 1977, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos signed the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which outlined the gradual transfer of control of the Panama Canal from the US to Panama while ensuring the canal’s continued neutrality. The transfer process spanned 22 years, during which the US progressively reduced its presence and management of the canal. The transition was completed on December 31, 1999, when Panama assumed full control, marking the culmination of the agreements signed in 1977.
The Torrijos-Carter Treaties have been the subject of intense debate in the US due to the canal’s strategic and economic importance. Despite the controversies, Carter viewed the handover as a necessary step to strengthen relations with Latin America and ensure long-term stability in the region.
Fast forward to 2025, controversies surrounding the sovereignty of waterways and uncertainty over the future of the Panama Canal have reignited discussions about its role as a critical point in global trade.
Author: IPESE Research Team
Featured image: National Historical Park Georgia