united states foreign policy

United StatesUnited States

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

US Foreign PolicyUS Foreign Policy

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy – a – a strategy or strategy or planned course of planned course of action by decision-action by decision-makers of a state, makers of a state, which aims to which aims to achieve specific achieve specific goals defined in goals defined in terms of terms of national national interest. interest. Major Major steps include…steps include…


1.1. Translating national interest Translating national interest into specific goals/objectives.into specific goals/objectives.

2.2. Determining the national and Determining the national and domestic situational factors domestic situational factors related to policy goals.related to policy goals.

3.3. Analyzing the state’s Analyzing the state’s capabilities for achieving capabilities for achieving desired results.desired results.


4.4. Developing a plan or strategy Developing a plan or strategy to link capabilities with goals.to link capabilities with goals.

5.5. Undertaking the requisite Undertaking the requisite actions.actions.

6.6. Periodically reviewing and Periodically reviewing and evaluating progress toward evaluating progress toward achievement of the desired achievement of the desired results.results.


Foreign policy Foreign policy actions are difficult actions are difficult to evaluate to evaluate because:because:


1.1. Short-range Short-range advantages advantages and and disadvantages disadvantages must be must be weighed in weighed in relation to relation to long-term long-term consequences.consequences.


2.2. Their impact Their impact on other on other nations is nations is difficult to difficult to evaluate.evaluate.


3.3. Most policies result in a mixture Most policies result in a mixture of successes and failures that of successes and failures that are hard to disentangle.are hard to disentangle.

Foreign Policy Foreign Policy ApproachesApproaches

1. 1. Realist / Idealist Realist / Idealist DichotomyDichotomy – – alternative alternative approaches in approaches in forming foreign forming foreign policy.policy.


a. a. RealistRealist – – fundamentally fundamentally empirical and empirical and pragmatic…pragmatic…

b. b. IdealistIdealist – – abstract abstract principles principles involving involving international international norms, legal norms, legal codes, and codes, and moral/ethical moral/ethical values.values.


2. 2. RevisionistRevisionist – – foreign policy foreign policy which seeks to which seeks to alter the existing alter the existing territorial, territorial, ideological, or ideological, or power power distribution to its distribution to its advantage advantage (expansionist and (expansionist and acquisitive).acquisitive).


3. 3. Status QuoStatus Quo – – foreign policy foreign policy which seeks to which seeks to maintain #2 maintain #2 above above (conservative (conservative and and “defensive”).“defensive”).

Foreign Policy Foreign Policy ComponentsComponents

11.. Objectives Objectives

2.2. Situational factors Situational factors

3.3. National interest – the National interest – the fundamental objective and fundamental objective and ultimate determinant that guides ultimate determinant that guides decision-makers of a state in decision-makers of a state in making foreign policy. There are making foreign policy. There are 5 components: 5 components:


a. National a. National SecuritySecurity (preemptive (preemptive vs. vs. preventive preventive warfare).warfare).


b. Free Trade / b. Free Trade / Free MarketsFree Markets

(capitalism!)(capitalism!)


c. Democracyc. Democracy

d. World Peaced. World Peace

e. Humanitarian e. Humanitarian ConcernsConcerns

Foreign Policy ProcessForeign Policy Process

1.1. Capability Capability analysisanalysis

2.2. Intelligence Intelligence

3.3. “Groupthink” “Groupthink”

Foreign Policy ProcessForeign Policy Process

4.4. Decision-makers – those Decision-makers – those individuals who exercise the individuals who exercise the powers of making and powers of making and implementing foreign policy implementing foreign policy decisions.decisions.

a.a. Opinion elites Opinion elites

b.b. General public General public

c.c. Cabinet secretaries Cabinet secretaries

d.d. Foreign policy bureaucracy Foreign policy bureaucracy

American Foreign PolicyAmerican Foreign Policy

Common ThemesCommon Themes

And And

Historical ConceptsHistorical Concepts


1.1. The Monroe Doctrine The Monroe Doctrine


2.2. Isolationism Isolationism and and InternationalisInternationalismm


3.3. Dollar Dollar Diplomacy Diplomacy (Roosevelt, (Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson)Taft, Wilson)


4.4. Good Good Neighbor Neighbor Policy (FDR)Policy (FDR)


5.5. The Marshall Plan The Marshall Plan


6.6. The Truman The Truman Doctrine Doctrine (containment(containment))


7.7. Alliance for Alliance for Progress Progress (John F. (John F. Kennedy)Kennedy)


8.8. Agency for Agency for International International Development Development (AID)(AID)


9.9. The Military-Industrial Complex The Military-Industrial Complex

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

Realism Realism Vs.Vs.

Idealism Idealism In Foreign PolicyIn Foreign Policy

PhilosophyPhilosophy

RealismRealism

Design policy Design policy based on based on “what is”“what is”

IdealismIdealism

Design policy Design policy based on based on how the how the world “ought world “ought to be”to be”

OutlookOutlook

RealismRealism

IsolationistIsolationist

IdealismIdealism

InternationalisInternationalistt

PowerPower

RealismRealism

Utilize “hard” Utilize “hard” power power

IdealismIdealism

Utilize “soft” Utilize “soft” powerpower

LeadershipLeadership

RealismRealism

UnilateralUnilateral

IdealismIdealism

Multilateral Multilateral

DefenseDefense

RealismRealism

Large;Large;

National National Missile Missile

Defense;Defense;

2-War2-War

IdealismIdealism

Smaller;Smaller;

Use Weapons Use Weapons We Already We Already

HaveHave

Arms and WeaponsArms and Weapons

RealismRealism

TensionTension

Arms Arms

War War

IdealismIdealism

ArmsArms

Tension Tension

WarWar

Foreign AidForeign Aid

RealismRealism

Lower; Lower;

Focus on Focus on Military Military

IdealismIdealism

Higher; Higher;

Focus on Focus on Social, Social,

EconomicEconomic

Democracy, Human Rights, Democracy, Human Rights, Environment, United Environment, United

NationsNationsRealismRealism

Not As Not As

ImportantImportant

IdealismIdealism

More More

ImportantImportant

Trade and BusinessTrade and Business

RealismRealism

Will Not Will Not Necessarily Necessarily

Promote Promote PeacePeace

IdealismIdealism

Will HelpWill Help

Promote Promote PeacePeace

Three Schools of Three Schools of Thought on Thought on America’s America’s

FutureFuture

America’s FutureAmerica’s Future

1. Declinism1. Declinism – one – one side in the side in the persistent persistent “debate” about “debate” about the future of the future of American power American power and influence. and influence. Declinists believe Declinists believe that the relative that the relative power position of power position of the U.S. is waning.the U.S. is waning.


Major Text:Major Text:

Kennedy’s Kennedy’s The The Decline and Fall Decline and Fall of the Great of the Great PowersPowers

Thesis: Corroding Thesis: Corroding effects of effects of “imperial “imperial overstretch”overstretch”


2. American 2. American ExceptionalismExceptionalism – – the other side of the other side of the debate on the the debate on the future of America’s future of America’s power. They believe power. They believe that America is that America is unique in world unique in world history, and thus history, and thus will continue to will continue to grow in power and grow in power and influence.influence.


Major Text: Nye’s Major Text: Nye’s Bound to LeadBound to Lead

Thesis: American Thesis: American leaders will take leaders will take the “long view” the “long view” and will seek to and will seek to adapt to adapt to changing future changing future circumstancescircumstances

America’s FutureAmerica’s FutureMajor Text: Major Text:

Fukuyama’s Fukuyama’s The End The End of History and the of History and the Last ManLast Man

Thesis: The fall of the Thesis: The fall of the Soviet Union and Soviet Union and U.S. victory in the U.S. victory in the Persian Gulf are Persian Gulf are proof that there is no proof that there is no better system in better system in history than history than democracy and democracy and capitalism. Hence, capitalism. Hence, history will “end” history will “end” with these systemswith these systems


3. Neoimperialism3. Neoimperialism – an alternative to both – an alternative to both theories. This theory suggests that while theories. This theory suggests that while American leaders focus on global leadership, American leaders focus on global leadership, they are ignoring pressing social, economic, they are ignoring pressing social, economic, and political problems at homeand political problems at home


Major Text: Petras Major Text: Petras and Morley’s and Morley’s Empire or Empire or Republic?Republic?

Thesis: As empire Thesis: As empire expands, the expands, the republic declinesrepublic declines


Walter Russell Walter Russell Mead’s Four Schools Mead’s Four Schools

of of American Foreign American Foreign

PolicyPolicy

US Foreign PolicyUS Foreign Policy1. Jacksonian1. Jacksonian

a. First priority – physical a. First priority – physical security and economic security and economic well-being of the well-being of the American populaceAmerican populace

b. US should not seek out b. US should not seek out foreign quarrels but foreign quarrels but should fight to win if should fight to win if war startswar starts

c. Values – self-reliance c. Values – self-reliance above allabove all

d. Jacksonian presidents – d. Jacksonian presidents – Reagan; Bush IIReagan; Bush II

US Foreign PolicyUS Foreign Policy2. Hamiltonian2. Hamiltonian

a. First priority – economic a. First priority – economic primacy of primacy of the US the US (mercantilism)(mercantilism)

b. The relationship b. The relationship between government between government and big business is key and big business is key to to survival and survival and success of a countrysuccess of a country

c. Legacies – IMF, World c. Legacies – IMF, World Bank, NAFTA, WTOBank, NAFTA, WTO

d. Hamiltonian presidents – d. Hamiltonian presidents – Bush I; ClintonBush I; Clinton

US Foreign PolicyUS Foreign Policy3. Jeffersonian3. Jeffersonian

a. First priority – protection a. First priority – protection of American democracy of American democracy on the home fronton the home front

b. Foreign entanglements b. Foreign entanglements always bad for always bad for democratic systems and democratic systems and highly skeptical of highly skeptical of projects that involve the projects that involve the US abroadUS abroad

c. Legacies – ACLUc. Legacies – ACLU

d. Jeffersonian presidents – d. Jeffersonian presidents – none in the 20none in the 20thth century century


4. Wilsonian4. Wilsonian

a. First priority – spreading a. First priority – spreading American democratic and American democratic and social values throughout social values throughout the worldthe world

b. US should be involved in b. US should be involved in the world with a peaceful the world with a peaceful international community international community based on the rule of lawbased on the rule of law

c. Legacies – the United c. Legacies – the United NationsNations

d. Wilsonian presidents – d. Wilsonian presidents – McKinley; CarterMcKinley; Carter

united states foreign policy

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foreign policy componentsc

foreign policy components1

foreign policy decisions

foreign policy approaches2

foreign policy approaches3

foreign policy componentsb

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foreign policy componentsa