Foreign Policy In The 1900's

American foreign policy from 1890-1930 was driven primarily by our businesslike economic and strategic considerations based on American self-interest. With westward expansion over, there had to be a new way for the United States to continue expansion. In the name of maintaining our innovative spirit and political ideology, our conquest for money, resources and trade took us outside of our borders for the first time. After all, how could we continue this upward monetary and resource tick if we didn’t expand? All countries are very self-centered and driven by their own success, and ours is no different in this respect. Going from a country that could large in part be ignored, to a real world power

Before the late 19th century the U.S Foreign Policy consisted of neutrality set by George Washington, the Monroe Doctrine set to stop colonization,and Manifest Destiny a idea that cause the expansion westward to spread American ideal. The second industrial revolution during the late 19th century caused for a want in expenditure in markets this led President Mckinley annexing Hawaii, but expansion did not fully set its course until Theodore Roosevelt who took office after the assassination of Mckinley, Theodore Roosevelt pursued an expansionist foreign policy through his “Big Stick Policy”. The late 19th and early 20th century was a continuation of previous expansionism through efforts by the U.S to justify expansion and imperialism the U.S will continue to establish its dominance over other countries, it was a departure in the sense of the magnitude in which the U.S dramatically expanded its role as a Empire over countries.

The United States, from its inception had a lust for real estate. From the original chants of "manifest destiny" to the calls for the annexation of Indian territories, America has been driven to acquire land. In this country's youth, land was needed for economic expansion; however, by the end of the 19th century, the entire continental United States had been in possession and the citizenry of this country turned their eyes out to sea. The United States no longer sought new lands to farm and work nor did they need new areas for their geological resources; the motives had changed. The United States was now driven by the temptations of world power and political supremacy. The self-absorbed citizenry looked upon their intrusion into

Throughout the years, the United States government had made drastic changes in its foreign policies. The few decades from 1880 to 1910, which saw five different presidents all with very distinct foreign policies, were no exception. As a country, the United States progressed from being a country only concerned with expanding its territory out west, to being a country on the verge of becoming involved in the First World War.

      At the turn of the century, and after gaining our independence, the United States land mass more than doubled through the use of purchasing, annexing, and war. However, the foreign policy of our government took a predominately isolationist stand. This was a national policy of abstaining from political or economic relations with other countries. General Washington shaped these values by upholding and encouraging the use of these principles by warning to avoid alliances in his farewell speech. The reasoning behind these actions was that the Republic was a new nation. We did not have the resources or the

During the early 20th century a new Manifest Destiny was established, marking the end of our Isolationism, which introduced the need for foreign policies. Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” policy required the Monroe Doctrine to be enforced, a protection of the Open Door Policy, and highlighted the flaws in other presidents attempts. Theodore Roosevelt succeeded in creating a foreign policy that fit the demands of the American public. The Monroe Doctrine proved to be an imperative asset to establish the position of the United States as the leader of the Western Hemisphere. With the addition of the Roosevelt Corollary, which gave the US the ability to interfere in Latin America, President Roosevelt was able to give such countries a chance

Throughout the years, the United States government had made drastic changes in its foreign policies. The few decades from 1880 to 1910, which saw five different presidents all with very distinct foreign policies, were no exception. As a country, the United States progressed from being a country only concerned with expanding its territory out west, to being a country on the verge of becoming involved in the First World War.

American foreign policy during the 1890s was based on many factors that each acted as an individual justification for our country’s behavior as a whole. Racism, nationalism, commercialism, and humanitarianism each had its own role in the actions America took against other nations.

In 1890 to 1920 imperialism and progressivism rose in the United States, affecting the country and its people. Progressivism and the political, social, and environmental reforms benefited unions, women, and the environment. However, due to the growing concerns with urban social problems a major weakness was the overshadowing of other problems like nonunionized workers, farmers, and the growing racism specifically directed to African Americans.

“Leave us out of it”, Seemed to be America attitude towards the rest of the world in 1930’s. At the beginning of the ‘30’s, foreign policy was not a important issue for the average American. The stock market had just crashed and each month brought greater hardships. American participation with Europe had brought war in 1917 and unpaid debt throughout the 1920s. Having grown weary with the course of world events, citizens were convinced the most important issues to be tackled was domestic. Foreign policy leaders of the 1930’s once again led the country down its well-traveled path of isolationism.

During the Cold War from 1946 to 1990 the United States had formed a policy called the containment policy which was adopted by President Harry Truman. The containment policy was a doctrine uniting military, economic, and diplomatic strategies to turn back communism and to insure that America would hold the leading role in world affairs.

States felt obligated to expeditiously and decisively assert itself in a world predicated on imperial power. America’s first foray into European-style intervention, the rash and jingoistic Spanish-American War proved vital in catalyzing American interventionism. This victory whet the appetites of the American commercial lobby creating an urgency to secure trade interests in the Caribbean, the Americas, and the Pacific. Integral to establishing American power and hegemony in Western hemispheric trade was a transisthmian canal. A return to Monroe Doctrine foreign policy bolstered by interventionist Manifest Destiny revived the Panama Canal Project, America’s Suez Canal.

The neoliberal policies, which South Africa has implemented after the end of the Apartheid era, has lead to increased inequality, both on the national as well as the global level. This has led many to argue that South Africa today faces a new kind of imperialism, one that is not so much based on political subordination but rather on a new type of economic subordination through a so-called "empire of capital". This idea, among others, falls under the broader theory of "economic imperialism".

The national party achieved power in South Africa in 1948 the government, usually comprised on “white people”, and racially segregated the country by a policy under the Apartheid legislation system. With this new policy in place the black South African people were forced to live segregated from the white people and use separate public facilities. There were many attempts to overthrow the Apartheid regime, it persisted to control for almost 50 years.

The government of South Africa played a huge role in apartheid. During apartheid the government of South Africa worked to take away the citizenship of the Blacks with the laws (“History of South Africa in the apartheid era”). “Social rights, political rights, educational opportunities, and economic status were all determined by the group a person belonged to” (History of South Africa in the apartheid era). Black people were denied by the government the option of appealing courts against forced removals (“History of South Africa in the apartheid era”). Since the government had established laws prohibiting social contact between the races separate schools and public places were set up for the different races (“History of South Africa in the apartheid era”). The government even tried to segregate churches in 1957 but failed (Pascoe, 80)