American Ideologies

American Ideologies
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American Ideologies
In history, United States has subscribed to various ideologies. These ideologies include isolationism, expansionism, pacifism, and internationalism.
Isolationism
Isolationism refers to the refusal to engage in political or economic issues with other countries. Isolationism also refers to the resistance to intervene in war or engagement in post war treaties particularly outside the Western Hemisphere. Isolationism is associated with America’s colonists who crossed the Atlantic to evade war, and other tribulations in Europe. They believed that the new place was superior to the place they had left behind. The colonists proposed the need to avoid engagement in war, especially war with Europe (Donovan, 1951).
The ideology of isolationism can be attributed to a number of factors. Firstly, The United States was geographically detached. It was also a self-sufficient country and therefore was least interested in engagement with other continents. Thirdly, initially United States was not very strong both in military power and economically. This meant that isolationism protected United States from the Europeans who longed to maintain the power they had lost in the American continent.
Isolationism was heightened in the nineteenth century due to the need to focus on national development. Isolationism was also fuelled by the assumption that the European interests were very diverse from the interests of the United States. The United States also believed that it was safe from any military or political war. Isolationism was seen as shortsightedness and an inconsistent ideology concerning the war. The isolationists were against warfare for a global cause but supported its happening in the Western hemisphere. All the ideologies preach peace but isolationists adopt a more tapered approach. Isolationists believed that United States should only engage in war in self-defense but abstain fr...