Study Of American Isolationism And Its Characteristics

Isolationism is one of the most important traditional foreign thoughts of the United States. The sprout of isolationism thoughts appeared in the period of North America colony. In 1796, Washington put forward the three fundamental principles of isolationism in 《Farewell》 : Neutrality, Non-alignment, Non-involvement in European Affairs.The "isolation" that is stressed by isolationism doesn't mean absolute isolation from the external world, which has four implications: firstly, isolationism only emphasizes the politics and the foreign policy whereas encourages close economic relations with the external world. Even in the political and foreign field, the United States ever joined in some temporary alliances. Secondly, isolationism is a policy aiming at Europe while the policies to Latin America and Asia are not restricted by the principles of isolationism. Thirdly, the implementing and using of the principles of isolationism is not consistent in the history. Isolationism is adjusted with the development of the strength of the United States and the changes of the international situation. Fourthly, isolationism is closely connected with territory expansion and continental and oversea expansion formed the main melody of the American history.The change of strength is the essential reason of the evolution of isolationism. Due to the increasing of strength, the United States started to depart from isolationism after World War I. The efforts of idealism failed only because the physical and mental preparation for undertaking the responsibility of the world leader hadn't been fully made. Isolationism dominated the American foreign policy again, which reached the climax in 1930's. After World War II, the United States abandoned isolationism and pursued the global interventionism based on the super political, military and economic strength. However, as a kind of thoughts, isolationism hasn't given up the attempt to fighting for dominating the foreign policy. Whenever the global interventionism encounters setbacks, isolationism will appears again with new characteristics in order to influence the foreign policy. The core of neo-isolationism includes reconstructing the domestic political, economic and social order, reducing oversea political and military obligations, taking global shrinking strategy. Although isolationism can't become the dominating factor of the American foreign policy, yet its influence and function can't be underestimated in the foreseen future. We have to pay much attention to it when we analyze the trend of the foreign policy of the United States.