Significant shifts in the foreign policy of many countries occurred in the second half of the nineteenth century. This refers to the fact that external expansion and the expansion of the sphere of influence have become necessary to establish itself as a state in the international political arena. The United States considered its economic, strategic, and ideological interests supreme, allowing it to carry out solid political expansion. It is essential to evaluate both imperialism’s positive and negative aspects to determine whether this tactic was justified. The expansionist policies of the United States in the late nineteenth century, driven by economic, strategic, and ideological factors, had both positive and negative consequences, and evaluating their justifiability requires a balanced assessment of these aspects.
Economic factors have become one of the decisive roles in the expansionist policy of the United States. Manufacturing capacity in the United States increased dramatically due to industrialization and the rapid technological development of new product-making methods (Vastano, 2023). This resulted in a more excellent production of goods, which could not be slowed down as this could lead to a severe economic crisis. Thus, the country needed to expand its sales markets in order to be able to sell all of its products. In this case, foreign markets became reliable ways to sell products and allowed the United States to realize its manufacturing potential.
Among the strategic factors that contributed to imperialism leading the active development of other powers. This forced the United States to assert its global presence to advance its interests and protect strategically essential priorities. The naval forces have been one of the most reliable ways to secure international trade and build a global presence. Thus, the United States went to redeem naval bases around the world in order to ensure a sufficient level of supremacy of naval forces (Aucock, 2019). In addition, the strategic placement of naval bases in places such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines opened up opportunities for America to establish a network of coal mines, oil rigs, and military bases in the region.
In addition to strategic and economic, an important place in the expansion was also occupied by ideological factors that helped to substantiate and give legal reasons. The stimulation of overseas expansion was largely fueled by the fact that many United States citizens believed in their country’s exclusivity and its duty to spread democratic principles (Vastano, 2023). Thus, any even gross interference in the affairs of other countries or the expansion of a sphere of influence on their territories could be justified by a good purpose. Supporters of imperialism argued that the United States should educate other nations about how they should build their states (Vastano, 2023). They also believed that this process could bring progress and prosperity to those countries that were just beginning their ideological formation and were not entirely determined.
The United States used various methods for its expansion and overseas influence. One of the proven ways was to buy land from other countries that needed financial resources or did not use these lands; for example, the United States acquired possession of Alaska. Another effective method was a military intervention, which could provide not only new lands but also the reputation of a country with which it is better not to unleash conflicts (Aucock, 2019). Thus, as a result of the Spanish-American War, the United States achieved expansion into Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines (Aucock, 2019). However, besides violence, there were also more diplomatic ones, such as economic pressure. In this way, the United States could gain access to the affairs of some countries and expand into Hawaii.
Many people supported and made negative statements about the policies of United States imperialism. Critical people pointed out that expansionism contradicts the basic principles of democracy and cannot be characteristic of a country that defends such interests. They believed that every country or territory had the right to self-determination, which was violated by the US invasion. In addition, an important argument was that such expansionist strategies of the country require high financial costs that could be directed to other more critical areas. Annexation and temporary occupation of foreign lands are also the subjects of controversy regarding the validity of imperialism (Man, 2020). At the same time, supporters of imperialism noted the need to spread democracy as the main argument supporting such a policy. Their assertions dealt with the aspect that US intervention in other countries’ affairs could positively impact their further development and lead to improvement and progress compared to the state before the invasion. An essential argument of the proponents is the improvement of economic opportunities for the United States. This could indeed be achieved by occupying new territories and laying trade routes.
Positive aspects of imperialism can include expansion into foreign markets, allowing the United States to sell its surplus goods, and contributing to economic growth and development. It provided access to new resources and raw materials, stimulating industrialization and enhancing the country’s economic power. The acquisition of naval bases and territories allowed the United States to establish a global presence and secure strategic locations for military purposes (Milestone Documents, 2019). This enabled the protection of international trade routes and facilitated the projection of power in the region.
Negative aspects of imperialism can include critics arguing that imperialism undermined the principle of self-determination and infringed upon the sovereignty of other nations. The forced annexation or occupation of territories disregarded the rights and aspirations of the affected populations. Imperialism often involved the use of military force, resulting in human suffering, casualties, and the suppression of local cultures and traditions. This raised ethical questions about the justifiability of such actions.
In conclusion, the expansionism of the United States in the late nineteenth century is the consequence of several economic, ideological, and strategic factors. At the same time, the United States used different methods to achieve its imperialist goals. A fair evaluation of these variables is necessary to determine if the expansionist strategies of the United States in the late nineteenth century, which were motivated by economic, strategic, and ideological motives, were justified. These policies had both beneficial and bad effects. The spread of the country’s influence to other states and territories did not always have a positive effect on the expenditure of budgetary resources. Moreover, it could harm the public perception of democratic systems as overly aggressive.
References
Aucock, M. (2019). Through the looking glass: Themes in narratives by Arabs, Americans, and Europeans from 1890 to 1960. Rice Historical Review, 4(Spring), 57-76. Web.
Man, S. (2020). Anti-Asian violence and US imperialism. Race & Class, 62(2), 24-33. Web.
Vastano, A. (2023). The hypocrisy of the Monroe Doctrine: An insight into nineteenth century American imperialism. The General: Brock University Undergraduate Journal of History, 8, 209-220. Web.
Milestone Documents (2019). National Archives. Web.