HISTORICAL SETTINGS OF US
FOREIGN POLICY
Muhammad Naseer Ahmad Taib
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science
GC University, Lahore.
CHANGING TRENDS OF US FOREIGN
POLICY
1. US Foreign Policy till the end of 18th century.
2. US Foreign Policy till the end of 19th century.
3. 20th century US Foreign Policy
1. Pre-World War I
2. During World War II
3. Between World Wars
4. Cold War US Foreign Policy
5. Post-Cold war US Foreign Policy
21st century US Foreign Policy
1. Post to post-Cold War US Foreign Policy.
2. Recent US Foreign Policy
INTRODCTION
• The central goal of this presentation is to understand the
historical settings of US foreign policy; firstly as regional power
and then as the predominant world power.
• It also highlights the pivotal events that shaped the nation’s
relations with world beyond its shores.
• As the US grew from regional power to hold global primacy, it
continue to maintain the Political arrangements, its social and
cultural traditions that prevailed in a time of Diplomatic
detachment.
• Early American leaders advanced claims on moral, political and
social exceptions and save it from global entanglements.
• In the recent past, it has promoted democratic reform in foreign
countries that contribute in the formulation of Transnational
civil society and global governance which was threating some of
the American leaders. Globalization is system that has open new
opportunities, China has not missed the opportunity to create
its position through the window of liberal economy.
US FOREIGN POLICY TILL THE END OF
18TH CENTURY.
• The US foreign policy in the era can be evaluated into two
phases;
• Phase I
• First and foremost concern of American’s earliest leaders
was building political institution that could preserve the
nation’s independence.
• In 1781 The Articles of confederation established the
framework of the first American political system with very
week central government and sovereignty of confederating
state.
• This kind of political arrangements made US a vulnerable
state to intimidation by more unified powers overseas.
• All the states of the confederation were adopting their own
policies regarding different subjects.
CONT…
• US Constitution, which was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1788 was
Federal in nature where states maintained primary control over their
internal affairs but ceded sovereignty to the federal government.
• The President and Congress shared the responsibilities for American
foreign policy.
• There were two perceptions about the conduct of the US foreign policy;
• One group was in the favour of President that he should be given
complete authority to design US foreign policy while other was in the
favour of sharing of responsibilities between The President and Congress
to leashed President not to be despotic.
• James Madison, the primary architect of the constitution, recognized that
such power sharing was crucial for the democratic government.
• Finally The President being the Commander in Chief of the US armed
forces has to conduct day to day business of US foreign policy while
Congress has the power to declare war and can control spending.
• Together they would provide a unified front for the advancement of the
Nation’s Foreign Policy.
US FOREIGN POLICY TILL THE END OF
19TH CENTURY. (Regional Policy)
James Monroe was the fifth president of the United
States from 1817 to 1825.
He presented Monroe Doctrine in, 1823
Monroe made four basic points:
(1) the United States would not interfere in
European affairs;
(2) the United States recognized and would not
interfere with existing colonies in the Americas;
(3) the Western Hemisphere was closed to future
colonization; and
(4) if a European power tried to interfere with any
nation in then need to responded.
US FOREIGN POLICY TILL THE END OF 19TH CENTURY.
(West Ward movement)
• 19TH Century started with a new government of
Thomas Jefferson in 1801. He in his inaugural speech
said, ‘US maintain its security by peace, commerce,
and honest friendship with all nations and did not
make alliance with none.’
• There were two options to maximize foreign policy
objectives;
– Diplomacy as a mechanism for advancing nation interest.
– Enhancing foreign economic relations. US opted it as its
final option. For it, the government hired hundreds of
consular officer to secure markets overseas and ensure the
protection of US merchant ship and crews.
CONT…
– There were two modes to achieve the objectives. One was
presented by Alexander Hamilton and other one was presented
by Thomas Jefferson.
• Alexander Hamilton was an American military officer, statesman, who
served as the first secretary of the treasury in George Washington 's
presidency.
• Hamilton thought the US should have to establish itself with strong
industrial power with a strong navy and stop financial ties to foreign
capital including London.
• Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd US president (1801-1809)
• Thomas Jefferson believed that US had to adopt modest modes;
• refining democracy at home, create a nation of small farmers rather
than industrialist because he had a fear the strong central government
favored by Hamilton would inevitably lead to strong military force and
tyrannical head of the state.
CONT…
• By 1820 US had become the 4th richest country in the world as
measured by per capita income. It was one of the leading
exporter of agricultural goods like cotton, tobacco.
• United States emerged as formidable ‘offshore power’ and
filled the geo-political gap in verities of ways;
West Ward expansion.
a. Buying vast territories at bargain prices
b. Negotiating settlement.
c. Forcefully seizing territories when other failed to maintained their
control.
d. Creation of like minded group and rebel and annexation
e. carrot or stick
f. Management of Red-Indian population at local level
• These steps put US on the path of world dominance
– Hemisphere’s economic power
– Military giant
– A global power in its making
WEST WARD EXPANSION
• In the west ward expansion, settlers and governments forced
violently subdued the American Indian population that is
relatively small in numbers and lack of unity and modern
weaponry left the incapable of successfully resisting
encroachment on their lands.
• Early government leaders assimilate the American Indians in
general population and society.
• Their successors abandoned such notions and made the
displacement of or elimination of Native American as
government policy.
• US policy for native American: Some scholars divide the federal
policy toward Indians in six phases: coexistence (1789–1828),
removal and reservations (1829–1886), assimilation (1887–
1932), reorganization (1932–1945), termination (1946–1960),
and self-determination (1961–1985).
• Then moves on……
BUYING VAST TERRITORIES AT
BARGAIN PRICE
• In 1803 under the President Thomas Jefferson, US acquired
the vast Louisiana Territory.
• It vast territory, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico in the
south to Rupert's Land in the north, and from the Mississippi
River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west
CONT…
• After the acquisition of Louisiana Territory and
displacement of Spain from Florida, made US free
to focus on State building, economic
development and further continental expansion.
• After several official and unofficial U.S. military
expeditions into the territory, Spain formally
ceded Florida to the United States in 1821,
according to terms of the Adams-Onís Treaty
CONT…
• In 1821 Mexico got freedom Spain and paved the way for
the next significant act of expansion. Many Americans
purchased land in the North of Mexican province of Texas
and in 1835 this growing population launched an
independence movement of its own. With in two years
Texan rebels defeated the Mexican army and declared
Texas an independent country and US government
annexed Texas in 1845.
• In the second step, In 1846 Britain and the United States
signed the Oregon Treaty, extending the international
border between the U.S. and what would become Canada
along the 49th parallel to the Strait of Georgia, and then
out the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
• In the third step, President James K. Polk initiated a series
of border skirmishes/ battles that escalated into full scale
war. The US in no time defeated Mexican army and then
signed a peace treaty in 1848 to cede nearly 1 million
square miles of land.
CONT…
• With the above discussed steps, US
successfully closed the Western frontier for
others and opened endless opportunities of
expansion for US and Pacific Ocean as new
frontier.
NORTH PACIFIC AS NEW OPPORTUNITY
• After the settling the house in order both domestically
and regionally US went to explore new economic
avenues in the North pacific and its associate states in
East Asia. US wanted to tap the enormous market and
resources in East Asia.
• For this purpose, US was making overtures to Japan
for commercial relations. When the diplomatic efforts
were failed President Millar Fillmore, in 1853,
deployed naval vessels to Tokyo under Gunboat
Diplomacy.
• Japan’s emperor accepted a treaty of friendship in
1854 that provided US access to Japanese market.
CONT…
• It is an acknowledge fact that US interests in Pacific Ocean extended
well beyond Japan.
• US occupied several island in the regions which serve US interests:
(Hawaiian) it is in the midway of North America and Asia.
• It occupied several islands to serve as coaling stations for US.
• It prevent others from taking their control.
• On the first hand, US made a treaty with Hawaiian monarch in its
own terms.
• In 1893, US recruited a rebel army that staged a successful coup
against the monarch.
• New government in days signed a treaty of annexation with US.
CONT…
• In 1867 US bought Alaska from Russian’s Czar’s
only in 7.2millions $.
• It end Russian efforts to expand trade and
settlements to the Pacific coast of North America.
It became an important step in the United States
rise as a great power in the Asia-Pacific region.
CONT… ASIAN PECIFIC AND LATIN AMERICA
• United States-Philippines (1898-1946) Crisis
• The United States government formally acquired the Philippines from Spain with the
signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898. The U.S. government declared
military rule in the Philippines on December 21, 1898.
• US clash with Spain in Spanish colony Philippine and Cuba.
• It would be the first overseas war fought by the United States, involving campaigns in
both Cuba and the Philippine Islands. The Spanish fleet guarding the Philippines was
defeated by the U.S. Navy. Thousands of casualties of Filipino.
• US used two strategies to manage these two regions.
• In 1898, the United States assisted in war to protect its citizens and businesses in
Cuba.In Cuba, it want ensure its control indirectly because it does not want to engage
itself in different regions.
• In Philippine directly as its colony because US recognized the commercial potential of
the Southeast Asia. Even it was against the general rule of US policy that anti-
colonialism.
CONT…
• Since 1840 US was sailing to china.
• The Open Door policy began with the issuance of a circular
(diplomatic note) by U.S. Secretary of State John Hay to
Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Russia on
September 6, 1899. The policy supported equal privileges
for all the countries trading with China and reaffirmed
China's territorial and administrative integrity. It prevent
disputes between the powers operating in China.
POST-SCRIPT OF 19 TH CENTURY
• US was ready to enter in the 20th century as an emerging
superpower with world wide political, economic, and military
interests.
• It has successfully extended its national territory across North
America and the Pacific Ocean.
• Its population become double between 1865-1890 because of
the immigrants from Europe for economic opportunities.
• Its economic output had exceeded many European states.
• More American lived in cities than in rural areas.
• Industrial production contributed more than the agricultural
products.
• To gain overseas markets became a national priority.
• In 1899 US adopted Open Door Policy that was designed to
prevent China from being exploited European states only.
interests.
