Foreign policy and relationship with other countries with explicit and implicit elements of control are characteristic of most world powers in history. America is not an exception to the practice of imperialism. After the United States gained independence from Britain, what distinguished America from the rest of the super powers including Britain is the democracy. The U.S ended up doing to other nations, islands, and regions what Britain did: colonize and control. Expansionism is a high commonality among nations that seek to increase their sphere of influence, interest, and dominance. Notable examples include the Spanish-American war, Hawaii military use of force, and the U.S intervention in the Russian-Japanese war. Among other reasons for expansion, military power and economic interests underpin the imperialistic activities from the American government. Thus, there is no justification for imperialism because it creates inequalities, which do more harm than good.
The Spanish-American War is a situation where America's economic interest overrides the democratic values and principles that the nation seeks to cast abroad. The dictatorial rule in Cuba, maltreatment, and the explosion of the naval ship were the reason given for the war. The new naval acquisitions gave the US the military confidence to engage Spain. Policymakers are influenced by interests group to protect their businesses. As noted in chapter 22, “Shippers and other businessmen, particularly in the sugar industry, supported American intervention to safeguard their own interests in the region” (p.649). The media effect was efficiently utilized in support of expansionism. The product of the liberation of Cuba was imperialism, the creation of political, economic, and cultural power imbalance.
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At the core of most wars, involving America abroad is interest. Thus, in its intervention and diplomacy, it pursues the primary agenda of safeguarding its global prosperity and prestige among nations. This power and interest struggle caused the alienation of other super powers such as Japan. The use of economic power to leverage national interest did not sway Japan. Part of these efforts has led to wars such as the WWII. The balance of power in the region by America will mean equal support, but it became evident that America was supportive of one party. When the U.S economic interest was threatened President Roosevelt “grew concerned over the growth of Japanese influence in the region and the continued threat that it represented to China and American access to those markets” (p.662). Thus, it appears that in most instances, such as mentioned above, there are no justifications for involvement and often do more harm than good.
References
U.S. History. (N.d). Chapter 22 Age of Empire: American Foreign Policy, 1890-1914. Retrieved from https://cnx.org/content/col11740/1.3
