American Political Culture and Foreign Policy

American Political Culture and Foreign Policy American Ideals and Foreign policy  Different views on foreign policy by American people  Despite their differences on foreign policy issues, there are some common ground that are shared by most of American people about missions, nation...

American Political Culture and Foreign Policy American Ideals and Foreign policy  Different views on foreign policy by American people  Despite their differences on foreign policy issues, there are some common ground that are shared by most of American people about missions, national interests, and principles of the US foreign policy  American Ideals American Ideals  The Declaration of Independence  ……….We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness……….. Missions, National Interests, and Principles  Missions: Fundamental long-term objectives that a country claims to pursue in its foreign policy  “Spreading democracy”  “Promoting free trade”  “Defending human rights”  Interests: More concrete objectives of foreign policy  National security  Economic well-being  Principles: the beliefs and premises that a country claims underlie its foreign policy  The belief that human beings have the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…….. American Missions  To provide safe haven for those who seek a better life (Jefferson)  To support the people who are in search for freedom (Truman Doctrine)  To extend the areas of freedom throughout the world (Eisenhower)  Enlargement (Clinton)  Promoting freedom (Bush Jr.)  American political culture of liberal tradition American National Interests  Who defines it?  Do they change over time?  What factors should be considered when an attempts is made to define it? American National Interests  Power  Acquiring and maintaining power  Power permits a state to survive  Military security and/or advantage  One of the most fundamental national interests  However, there may be significant disagreement about how to provide it American National Interests  Economic strength  Frequently identified and widely accepted as American interest  Sometimes economic criteria may conflict with other criteria  Ideological criteria  Wilson’s effort “to make the world more safe for democracy”  Fighting against communism during the Cold War  “Enlargement” during the Clinton administration American National Interests  Morality and the rule of law  Morality is central to the American self-image in foreign policy  However, sometimes the US has been less willing to commit to the international legal obligations  Conclusion  The American national interest is difficult to define specifically  However, it is a very useful concept, providing a tool with which we can understand, in general terms, the interests that the US seeks in foreign policy American Principles  Isolationism  Moralism  Pragmatism  Unilateralism American Principles: Isolationism  Geographical  Far from the European continent  Little threat from Canada or Mexico  Emotional and Psychological  American Exceptionalism American Principles: Moralism  Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points  Transparent multilateral diplomacy  The rule of international law  Collective security  Self-determination  Free trade  Disarmament  The creation of international organizations which would mitigate the effect of anarchy American Principles: Pragmatism  Tensions between Moralism and Pragmatism  Relationship with China (?) American Principles: Unilateralism  Acting alone independently, without consulting to others  After WWII, began to favor multilateralism Competing Themes of US Foreign Policy  Idealism vs. Realism  Isolationism vs. Involvement  Unilateralism vs. Multilateralism