The Roosevelt Corollary and "Big Brother"
On December 1904 Theodore Roosevelt informed Congress of his new plan to enhance the Monroe Doctrine which created quite a stir among Americans, protecting other southern countries did not seem to be top priority. Roosevelt expands the Monroe Doctrine in his corollary to prevent European forces to attack or engage in any activities with the Americas. This expands the doctrine in a way which makes the United States a guardian of some sort for the other countries in South America. Making the Americas initially untouchable from the Europeans created a sort of sign of independence and declared that indeed they did not want any business with them at all. Essentially the U.S. became the “ International Police Power” which protects the Latin Americas from European powers.[1] This also established dominance in the Western Hemisphere which was needed to allow for the U.S. to truly take control of the latin countries. At first critics widely opposed this amendment and believed that only bad things could come from this new amendment but it later helped the U.S. control the western hemisphere and gain power.
One of the ways the Roosevelt Corollary helped expand North America was in a economical way. Mitchener and Weidenmier are assistant professors for economics, they believe that in fact the Roosevelt Corollary “improved stability and lasting peace would draw overseas investment to the region, promote exports, and stimulate growth”.[2] The involvement of the U.S. in South and Central America greatly increased trade though both regions. The construction of the Panama Canal which was announced right along the time the Roosevelt Corollary was announced created an ability to increase trade and boost economy without European intervention. Overall the Corollary created a new boundary which would not only protect South America but also create new territory for expansion of the U.S.
While gaining new territory in the Latin Americas the Corollary also allowed for US military force
to be present in other countries. Serge Ricard, a professor at the University of Paris III-Sorbonne
Nouvelle, believed that corollary was in fact more of a new addition to the Monroe Doctrine in which
showed a “ big stick” perception of foreign countries.[3] While many believed that this mentality that the US
could force their presence in other countries was wrong Roosevelt thought this was the best way to show
dominance. He feared that eventually other countries would expand and claim their dominance and create
“an imperialist world in which power was measured in terms of overseas possessions and military might”.[4]
This is why he believed that this “big stick” mentality was necessary to ensure the safety of the US in the
future.
The “Big Brother” policy was created by James G. Blaine and is an amendment to the Monroe
Doctrine. This policy was created essentially to make the citizens of the Latin Americas to support the US
and allow them to enter their trade market as well. Blaine was nominated for presidency by the
Republican party but was unsuccessful but later earned a position on congress.
Blaine was a US Secretary of the State, his policy resulted in the first International Conference of
American States, which is also known as the PanAmerican Conferences. In a bibliography about him,
James Blaine: Architect of Empire, the author discusses the reasons for his believes and why he did such
things as create the Big Brother Policy. The author believes “To guarantee continued Republican
domination... it was was necessary to respond to the pressing demands of that region for overseas market
expansion” which would explain Blaines obsession with expansion into the Latin Americas.[5] At first he believed that this would benefit the US in a commercial way only but soon realized it could be a way to
expand the military as well by setting up naval bases in other countries.
James Blaine wanted the US to expand and be able to take control of territories such Hawaii, Puerto Rico
and Cuba to have more military power and his policy made it easy to allow this. Although some Latin
American countries. Not only did this benefit the US but South American Countries also gained a greater
range of people to trade with. In the book James Blaine and Latin America by David Healy he talks
about the reasons for Blaine’s thoughts on the US taking control of Latin America. His ideas of a Pan
American Conference would “ in addition to securing peace in the hemisphere, it would have lead to closer
commercial relations with great economic benefit to the United States”.[6] Topics such as tariffs and prices
where discussed during these conferences, they were essentially a way for trade policies to be made and
to resolve conflict on such matters. The Big Brother Policy greatly increased trade and allowed for the US
to gain power over the Latin Americas without demanding it. taking control of trade essentially gained
some control over the economic state of these countries giving the US even more dominance.
1. "Monroe Doctrine." Roosevelt Corollary. http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=56
(accessed February 18, 2014). p33.
2. Mitchener, Kris James, and Marc Weidenmier. "Empire, Public Goods, And The Roosevelt Corollary."
The Journal of Economic History 65, no. 03 (2005): 658692.
3. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Big Stick policy (United States history)." Encyclopedia
Britannica Online. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/65006/BigStickpolicy
(accessed
February 25, 2014).
4. Ricard, S. (2006), The Roosevelt Corollary. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 36: 17–26. doi:
10.1111/j.17415705.2006.00283.
p21.
5. Crapol, Edward P.. James G. Blaine: architect of empire. Wilmington, Del.: Scholarly Resources,
2000. p63.
6. Healy, David. James G. Blaine and Latin America. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 2001.
Print. p253.
One of the ways the Roosevelt Corollary helped expand North America was in a economical way. Mitchener and Weidenmier are assistant professors for economics, they believe that in fact the Roosevelt Corollary “improved stability and lasting peace would draw overseas investment to the region, promote exports, and stimulate growth”.[2] The involvement of the U.S. in South and Central America greatly increased trade though both regions. The construction of the Panama Canal which was announced right along the time the Roosevelt Corollary was announced created an ability to increase trade and boost economy without European intervention. Overall the Corollary created a new boundary which would not only protect South America but also create new territory for expansion of the U.S.
While gaining new territory in the Latin Americas the Corollary also allowed for US military force
to be present in other countries. Serge Ricard, a professor at the University of Paris III-Sorbonne
Nouvelle, believed that corollary was in fact more of a new addition to the Monroe Doctrine in which
showed a “ big stick” perception of foreign countries.[3] While many believed that this mentality that the US
could force their presence in other countries was wrong Roosevelt thought this was the best way to show
dominance. He feared that eventually other countries would expand and claim their dominance and create
“an imperialist world in which power was measured in terms of overseas possessions and military might”.[4]
This is why he believed that this “big stick” mentality was necessary to ensure the safety of the US in the
future.
The “Big Brother” policy was created by James G. Blaine and is an amendment to the Monroe
Doctrine. This policy was created essentially to make the citizens of the Latin Americas to support the US
and allow them to enter their trade market as well. Blaine was nominated for presidency by the
Republican party but was unsuccessful but later earned a position on congress.
Blaine was a US Secretary of the State, his policy resulted in the first International Conference of
American States, which is also known as the PanAmerican Conferences. In a bibliography about him,
James Blaine: Architect of Empire, the author discusses the reasons for his believes and why he did such
things as create the Big Brother Policy. The author believes “To guarantee continued Republican
domination... it was was necessary to respond to the pressing demands of that region for overseas market
expansion” which would explain Blaines obsession with expansion into the Latin Americas.[5] At first he believed that this would benefit the US in a commercial way only but soon realized it could be a way to
expand the military as well by setting up naval bases in other countries.
James Blaine wanted the US to expand and be able to take control of territories such Hawaii, Puerto Rico
and Cuba to have more military power and his policy made it easy to allow this. Although some Latin
American countries. Not only did this benefit the US but South American Countries also gained a greater
range of people to trade with. In the book James Blaine and Latin America by David Healy he talks
about the reasons for Blaine’s thoughts on the US taking control of Latin America. His ideas of a Pan
American Conference would “ in addition to securing peace in the hemisphere, it would have lead to closer
commercial relations with great economic benefit to the United States”.[6] Topics such as tariffs and prices
where discussed during these conferences, they were essentially a way for trade policies to be made and
to resolve conflict on such matters. The Big Brother Policy greatly increased trade and allowed for the US
to gain power over the Latin Americas without demanding it. taking control of trade essentially gained
some control over the economic state of these countries giving the US even more dominance.
1. "Monroe Doctrine." Roosevelt Corollary. http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=56
(accessed February 18, 2014). p33.
2. Mitchener, Kris James, and Marc Weidenmier. "Empire, Public Goods, And The Roosevelt Corollary."
The Journal of Economic History 65, no. 03 (2005): 658692.
3. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Big Stick policy (United States history)." Encyclopedia
Britannica Online. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/65006/BigStickpolicy
(accessed
February 25, 2014).
4. Ricard, S. (2006), The Roosevelt Corollary. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 36: 17–26. doi:
10.1111/j.17415705.2006.00283.
p21.
5. Crapol, Edward P.. James G. Blaine: architect of empire. Wilmington, Del.: Scholarly Resources,
2000. p63.
6. Healy, David. James G. Blaine and Latin America. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 2001.
Print. p253.