The chapter offers a reflection on the historical origins of American foreign policy, its main objectives, and its 19th-century developmental processes, seeking some long-term trends that remain useful today in certain ways, but are certainly relevant for interpreting U.S. foreign policy at least up until the 1989-1991 period. The focus is particularly on some terms traditionally used to describe the historical trajectory of U.S. foreign policy, especially the concepts of isolationism and imperialism. First of all, the essay shows the false myths of the istolationist narrative, revealing the constant projection of the United States beyond its borders (both continental and transcontinental), albeit through exceptionalist means such as commercial penetration and cultural influence. This revision of isolationism in U.S. history is inevitably counterbalanced by a reflection on their imperialist posture, which has been a truly distinguishing trait of the actions of the American federal republic from its very origins. The essay concludes that, despite the image of the American nation presented domestically, which has always fueled a public perception of the state’s predominantly republican nature at the expense of its imperial character, this federal republic has, since its inception, demonstrated a clear expansionist and imperialist vocation, intertwined with the civil and democratic progress of the nation, enabling its territorial, commercial, and cultural growth. Exceptional self-perception, imperialism, and also pragmatism are therefore the foundational concepts that, in the author's view, should be familiarized with in the historical study of American foreign policy.
Il capitolo propone una riflessione sulle origini storiche della politica estera americana, i suoi principali obiettivi e i suoi processi di sviluppo ottocenteschi, alla ricerca di alcuni trend di lungo periodo, utili per certi versi ancora oggi, ma sicuramente validi per interpretare le linee di politica estera statunitense fino almeno al biennio 1989-1991. L’attenzione è posta in particolar modo su alcuni termini che tradizionalmente vengono utilizzati per descrivere la parabola storica della politica estera statunitense, in particolare sui concetti di isolazionismo e imperialismo. Del primo termine si mettono in luce i falsi miti, rilevando la costante proiezione degli States oltre i propri confini (continentali e trans-continentali) sebbene attraverso l’uso, in chiave eccezionalista, di mezzi come la penetrazione commerciale e l’influenza culturale. A questa revisione dell’isolazionismo nella storia statunitense fa da contraltare inevitabile la riflessione sulla postura imperialista, tratto realmente distintivo dell’agire della Repubblica federale americana, fin dalle origini. Il saggio conclude che, nonostante l’immagine della nazione americana veicolata sul piano interno abbia sempre alimentato nell’opinione pubblica la percezione della natura eminentemente repubblicana dello Stato a scapito di quella imperiale, questa Repubblica federale abbia manifestato, fin dalle proprie origini, una chiara vocazione espansionista e imperialista, intrecciatasi poi a filo doppio allo stesso avanzamento civile e democratico della nazione, dandole possibilità di crescita territoriale, commerciale e culturale. Auto-percezione eccezionalista, imperialismo, ma anche pragmatismo, sono quindi i concetti originari con i quali, a parere di chi scrive, si dovrebbe acquisire familiarità nello studio storico della politica estera americana.
Bon, C., Le origini storiche della politica estera americana, in Cristina Bo, C. B., Gianluca Pastor, G. P. (ed.), La Politica estera americana nel mondo multipolare, Biblion Edizioni, Milano 2024: 2024 23- 54 [https://hdl.handle.net/10807/305975]
Le origini storiche della politica estera americana
Bon, Cristina
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
2024
Abstract
The chapter offers a reflection on the historical origins of American foreign policy, its main objectives, and its 19th-century developmental processes, seeking some long-term trends that remain useful today in certain ways, but are certainly relevant for interpreting U.S. foreign policy at least up until the 1989-1991 period. The focus is particularly on some terms traditionally used to describe the historical trajectory of U.S. foreign policy, especially the concepts of isolationism and imperialism. First of all, the essay shows the false myths of the istolationist narrative, revealing the constant projection of the United States beyond its borders (both continental and transcontinental), albeit through exceptionalist means such as commercial penetration and cultural influence. This revision of isolationism in U.S. history is inevitably counterbalanced by a reflection on their imperialist posture, which has been a truly distinguishing trait of the actions of the American federal republic from its very origins. The essay concludes that, despite the image of the American nation presented domestically, which has always fueled a public perception of the state’s predominantly republican nature at the expense of its imperial character, this federal republic has, since its inception, demonstrated a clear expansionist and imperialist vocation, intertwined with the civil and democratic progress of the nation, enabling its territorial, commercial, and cultural growth. Exceptional self-perception, imperialism, and also pragmatism are therefore the foundational concepts that, in the author's view, should be familiarized with in the historical study of American foreign policy.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.