American Foreign Policy
Foreign policy, whether you realize it or not, is at the center of American culture, and effects everyone currently living in the United States. Foreign policy decisions shape the course of this country, and in turn, affect American lives in the process. Everyone has their own idea of how the United States should deal with international disputes, and these beliefs stem from a couple of different sentiments that evolved over the last 300 or so years. Joyce Kaufman, Walter Russell Mead, and Dr. Robin Datta argue that three core ideas or styles guide US foreign policy: American exceptionalism, expansionism, and isolationism and/or unilateralism. Isolationist sentiments evolved from the mindsets of our nations founders- …show more content…
It is important to note though, that common nationalism is different from American exceptionalism. Nationalism is described as “spirit or aspirations common to the whole of a nation; devotion and loyalty to one’s own country; patriotism.” (Dictionary.com) Nationalism is felt in almost every country around the world. American exceptionalism is different; it is the idea that “the nation is in some way, exceptional.” (Datta) Americans believe that the United States is “the leader of the free world,” “the last best hope on earth” an “empire of liberty” and a “shining city on a hill”. (Foreign Policy) This belief is one that has stemmed from the idea of manifest destiny or “the belief that it was the destiny of the United States to spread across the continent” and “the conviction that Americans had a higher purpose to serve in the world than others.” (Kaufman) This idea is also entrenched into the sentiment that Americans were put on this earth to “protect liberty and promote freedom.” (Kaufman) American exceptionalism is at the core of every US citizen, a belief that has been strongly engrained over the years. The belief that it was America’s duty, essentially, to spread democracy and help those in need, led the United States into a new era of foreign policy-
Foreign policy, whether you realize it or not, is at the center of American culture, and effects everyone currently living in the United States. Foreign policy decisions shape the course of this country, and in turn, affect American lives in the process. Everyone has their own idea of how the United States should deal with international disputes, and these beliefs stem from a couple of different sentiments that evolved over the last 300 or so years. Joyce Kaufman, Walter Russell Mead, and Dr. Robin Datta argue that three core ideas or styles guide US foreign policy: American exceptionalism, expansionism, and isolationism and/or unilateralism. Isolationist sentiments evolved from the mindsets of our nations founders- …show more content…
It is important to note though, that common nationalism is different from American exceptionalism. Nationalism is described as “spirit or aspirations common to the whole of a nation; devotion and loyalty to one’s own country; patriotism.” (Dictionary.com) Nationalism is felt in almost every country around the world. American exceptionalism is different; it is the idea that “the nation is in some way, exceptional.” (Datta) Americans believe that the United States is “the leader of the free world,” “the last best hope on earth” an “empire of liberty” and a “shining city on a hill”. (Foreign Policy) This belief is one that has stemmed from the idea of manifest destiny or “the belief that it was the destiny of the United States to spread across the continent” and “the conviction that Americans had a higher purpose to serve in the world than others.” (Kaufman) This idea is also entrenched into the sentiment that Americans were put on this earth to “protect liberty and promote freedom.” (Kaufman) American exceptionalism is at the core of every US citizen, a belief that has been strongly engrained over the years. The belief that it was America’s duty, essentially, to spread democracy and help those in need, led the United States into a new era of foreign policy-