The Doctrine Today...
The Monroe Doctrine was one of the forces responsible for building American foreign policy. The primary motive of the Doctrine was to protect American interests and to keep foreign nations from establishing control in the Western Hemisphere.[1]
Also, the Doctrine prevented the United States from involving itself in Europe, other than to provide protection to nations in need. In addition, the policy was used as a means of preserving the economic interests of the United States. The United States believed that the commercial markets, with the newly sovereign states, would be beneficial, as long as the countries remained independent.[2]
During the 19th Century the Monroe Doctrine was accepted by presidents of all parties as United States policy. President Polk enlarged the Monroe Doctrine by stating that people of the Americas had the right to decide their own destiny, and European powers could not block the union of the United States with any independent state on the American continent.[3]
In 1895, President Cleveland entered the United States into a long standing dispute between Venezuela and England over the boundary between British Guiana and Venezuela. When the dispute was in arbitration, Cleveland’s Secretary of State said, “Today the United States is practically sovereign on this continent…” and claimed the right under the Monroe Doctrine to force arbitration on the two nations. President Roosevelt based his foreign policy on the assumption that the U.S. had a special role to fill in world affairs.[4] When John F. Kennedy served as the president of the United States in 1962, he used the doctrine to justify an air and naval quarantine around Cuba.
The Doctrine greatly influenced North and South America, creating a farewell from the traditional European views of the Western Atlantic lands, better known as the “New World” and causing a separation from what was considered the “Old World” which ended European expansion to these areas.
The Monroe Doctrine, which stated that the United States opposed furthered European colonization of the western hemisphere, was created by our government as a measure of defense in the face of a threat against this hemisphere by an alliance in continental Europe. After this point, we stood guard in the Atlantic with the British as our neighbors.[5] There was no treaty, nor was there an “unwritten agreement.” Proven by history there was a feeling that we as neighbors could settle any dispute in a peaceful manner. During this time, the Western Hemisphere remained free from aggression from Europe and Asia.
The Monroe Doctrine is known as one of the first developments of the United States’ rise to a world super power. It was a policy of self defense used as a means of expanding the country. Monroe made it clear that he was not interested in other nations trying to take away land in the Americas to use as colonies and territories. He believed that if a European nation, tried to intervene, he would see this as an act of aggression against the United States and we, as a nation would be allowed to retaliate. This Doctrine was a primary factor in enabling the United States to expand brought peace to most of the countries, as well as Britain. It also kept Britain from beginning another war to win the United States back and make it a colony. In this example, the Monroe Doctrine was used as a tactful defense.
The main focus of Great Britain at the time was to expand the manufacturing outputs of their industries and exclaim their economic policy of Laissez-faire. Laissez-faire was a primary contributing force to the reasoning behind Great Britain’s acknowledgment of the Monroe Doctrine as an established policy. Great Britain moved forward with their agreement after seeing an opportunity for economic prosperity. They sided with the United States when most nations chose to ignore the doctrine, thereby creating a bond between the two nations. The Roosevelt Corollary was introduced by Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 as a means of expanding the Monroe Doctrine. It was meant to prevent European forces to attack or engage in any activities with the Americas. As mentioned previously, the United States became the “International Police Power” protecting Latin America from European powers. It also allowed the Western Hemisphere to become a dominant force which was needed in order for the United States to gain control of the Latin countries.
In conclusion, the United States and Britain were expanding their power before the Monroe Doctrine was in effect. The U.S. was the weaker country and was grappling to inflate power, which led to the introduction of the doctrine. Britain was already strong and was a powerful expanding nation.The U.S. wanted to limit their expansion while gaining economic progression. The main goals of establishing rules and regulations within the foreign policy of European powers were, “separate spheres of influence for Europe and the Americas, non-colonization, and non-intervention.”
1. Foner, Eric. Give me liberty!. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012.
2. History-world.org. "The Monroe Doctrine." 2014. http://history-world.org/monroe_doctrine.htm (accessed 24 Feb 2014).
3. Kellogg, William. American History the Easy Way. New York: Barron’s, 2003.
4. Dudley, William. Opposing Viewpoints in American History. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996.
5. U-s-history.com. "Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine." 2014. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1449.html (accessed 24 Feb 2014).
Also, the Doctrine prevented the United States from involving itself in Europe, other than to provide protection to nations in need. In addition, the policy was used as a means of preserving the economic interests of the United States. The United States believed that the commercial markets, with the newly sovereign states, would be beneficial, as long as the countries remained independent.[2]
During the 19th Century the Monroe Doctrine was accepted by presidents of all parties as United States policy. President Polk enlarged the Monroe Doctrine by stating that people of the Americas had the right to decide their own destiny, and European powers could not block the union of the United States with any independent state on the American continent.[3]
In 1895, President Cleveland entered the United States into a long standing dispute between Venezuela and England over the boundary between British Guiana and Venezuela. When the dispute was in arbitration, Cleveland’s Secretary of State said, “Today the United States is practically sovereign on this continent…” and claimed the right under the Monroe Doctrine to force arbitration on the two nations. President Roosevelt based his foreign policy on the assumption that the U.S. had a special role to fill in world affairs.[4] When John F. Kennedy served as the president of the United States in 1962, he used the doctrine to justify an air and naval quarantine around Cuba.
The Doctrine greatly influenced North and South America, creating a farewell from the traditional European views of the Western Atlantic lands, better known as the “New World” and causing a separation from what was considered the “Old World” which ended European expansion to these areas.
The Monroe Doctrine, which stated that the United States opposed furthered European colonization of the western hemisphere, was created by our government as a measure of defense in the face of a threat against this hemisphere by an alliance in continental Europe. After this point, we stood guard in the Atlantic with the British as our neighbors.[5] There was no treaty, nor was there an “unwritten agreement.” Proven by history there was a feeling that we as neighbors could settle any dispute in a peaceful manner. During this time, the Western Hemisphere remained free from aggression from Europe and Asia.
The Monroe Doctrine is known as one of the first developments of the United States’ rise to a world super power. It was a policy of self defense used as a means of expanding the country. Monroe made it clear that he was not interested in other nations trying to take away land in the Americas to use as colonies and territories. He believed that if a European nation, tried to intervene, he would see this as an act of aggression against the United States and we, as a nation would be allowed to retaliate. This Doctrine was a primary factor in enabling the United States to expand brought peace to most of the countries, as well as Britain. It also kept Britain from beginning another war to win the United States back and make it a colony. In this example, the Monroe Doctrine was used as a tactful defense.
The main focus of Great Britain at the time was to expand the manufacturing outputs of their industries and exclaim their economic policy of Laissez-faire. Laissez-faire was a primary contributing force to the reasoning behind Great Britain’s acknowledgment of the Monroe Doctrine as an established policy. Great Britain moved forward with their agreement after seeing an opportunity for economic prosperity. They sided with the United States when most nations chose to ignore the doctrine, thereby creating a bond between the two nations. The Roosevelt Corollary was introduced by Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 as a means of expanding the Monroe Doctrine. It was meant to prevent European forces to attack or engage in any activities with the Americas. As mentioned previously, the United States became the “International Police Power” protecting Latin America from European powers. It also allowed the Western Hemisphere to become a dominant force which was needed in order for the United States to gain control of the Latin countries.
In conclusion, the United States and Britain were expanding their power before the Monroe Doctrine was in effect. The U.S. was the weaker country and was grappling to inflate power, which led to the introduction of the doctrine. Britain was already strong and was a powerful expanding nation.The U.S. wanted to limit their expansion while gaining economic progression. The main goals of establishing rules and regulations within the foreign policy of European powers were, “separate spheres of influence for Europe and the Americas, non-colonization, and non-intervention.”
1. Foner, Eric. Give me liberty!. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012.
2. History-world.org. "The Monroe Doctrine." 2014. http://history-world.org/monroe_doctrine.htm (accessed 24 Feb 2014).
3. Kellogg, William. American History the Easy Way. New York: Barron’s, 2003.
4. Dudley, William. Opposing Viewpoints in American History. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996.
5. U-s-history.com. "Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine." 2014. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1449.html (accessed 24 Feb 2014).