Omar Bennett
Woodrow Wilson's moral diplomacy, which was based on the principle of self-determination, was an attempt to curb imperialism and spread democracy. Wilson's policies frequently intervened in the affairs of other countries, particularly in Latin America, where he aimed to empower developing nations to become self-sustaining and democratic. This form of diplomacy was a shift from isolationism to internationalism, and while it did not start World War II, it did increase U.S. military action in many countries and impacted economies by manipulating situations in non-democratic countries or those with values Wilson deemed morally corrupt.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Core principle | Self-determination |
| Definition | "The moral right of people to choose their form of government and leaders by democratic elections" |
| Purpose | To curb the growth of imperialism and spread democracy |
| Replaced | Dollar diplomacy of William Howard Taft |
| Origin | American exceptionalism |
| Implementation | Through international organizations |
| Impact | Increased U.S. direct military action in many countries |
| Impact | Manipulated situations in non-democratic countries |
| Impact | Troubled Latin American states hoping for non-interference |
| Impact | Failed to create democratic states in Haiti and the Dominican Republic |
| Impact | Practiced imperialism by buying the Virgin Islands from Denmark |
| Impact | Shifted U.S. foreign policy from isolationism to internationalism |
| Impact | Led to the creation of international political conglomerates |
| Impact | Cemented the U.S. as a global actor in international affairs |
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What You'll Learn
Woodrow Wilson's moral diplomacy
Wilson's moral diplomacy represented a shift from the previous administration's dollar diplomacy, which prioritised economic support as a means to improve bilateral ties. In contrast, Wilson's approach was based on economic power and the belief in American exceptionalism. This notion, rooted in the country's revolutionary history and unique ideology, held that the United States had a specific world mission to spread liberty and democracy.
Wilson frequently intervened in the affairs of Latin American countries, stating in 1913 that he intended to "teach the South American republics to elect good men". He faced challenges in Mexico, which had been experiencing revolutions since 1910, and refused to recognise Victoriano Huerta's rise to power in 1913 due to his illegal seizure of control and authoritarian rule. Wilson's stance on Mexico clashed with the interests of Americans with economic stakes in the country and the policies of other foreign powers, who supported Huerta for his openness to foreign investment.
In 1914, an incident in Tampico, Mexico, where Mexican officials arrested American sailors, led Wilson to order the US Navy to occupy the port city of Veracruz. This intervention weakened Huerta's rule, and he was replaced by Venustiano Carranza, whom Wilson recognised as Mexico's de facto president. Wilson also sent troops to Haiti, forcing the Haitian legislature to choose his selected candidate as Haitian President, and maintained troops in Nicaragua, using them to select the country's president.
Wilson's moral diplomacy extended beyond Latin America. In 1918, he delivered his "Fourteen Points" speech to Congress, outlining his vision for a new diplomacy based on open covenants and self-rule. He advocated for the dismantling of the imperial order, proposing that colonial holdings should eventually achieve self-rule and that European sections of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires should gain immediate independence. Wilson's commitment to democracy and his idealistic approach to foreign policy significantly shaped America's role in international affairs during his presidency.
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Latin America and imperialism
During the early 20th century, Latin America was a region of strategic importance, particularly for the United States. The US had traditionally considered Latin America as within its "sphere of influence", and this mindset continued under President Woodrow Wilson, who sought to implement a policy of "moral diplomacy" in the region. Wilson's moral diplomacy was driven by his belief in American exceptionalism and the notion that the US had a duty to spread democracy and liberty worldwide. This policy approach was a shift from the previous administration's "dollar diplomacy", which prioritised economic support to improve bilateral ties.
Wilson frequently intervened in the affairs of Latin American countries, stating in 1913, "I am going to teach the South American republics to elect good men". This interventionism took various forms, including the deployment of US troops and the refusal to recognise governments that had come to power through revolutions or illegal means. For example, in Mexico, Wilson refused to acknowledge Victoriano Huerta's government, which had seized power in 1913, despite pressure from American business interests and foreign powers. Similarly, in Haiti, US troops forced the Haitian legislature to choose Wilson's selected candidate as president.
Wilson's moral diplomacy had a significant impact on Latin America, and it set a precedent for future US relations with the region. While it aimed to promote democracy and curb imperialism, it often resulted in military interventions and the manipulation of economic situations to align with US interests and moral values. This form of diplomacy contributed to a perception of American hegemony in the region, which would continue to shape Latin America's relationship with the US in the lead-up to and during World War II.
During World War II, the US continued to prioritise its influence in Latin America, especially in the context of countering perceived Nazi propaganda efforts in the region. President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorised the creation of the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (OCIAA) to enhance his Good Neighbor policy and promote Pan-Americanism. While some Latin American countries actively joined the war effort, others passively broke relations or nominally declared war, demonstrating the varying degrees of involvement within the region.
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Democracy and self-determination
Woodrow Wilson's moral diplomacy was based on the principle of self-determination, which he defined as "the moral right of people to choose their form of government and leaders by democratic elections". Wilson's moral diplomacy was a shift from the previous dollar diplomacy of William Howard Taft, which focused on economic support to improve bilateral ties. Wilson's approach, on the other hand, was based on economic power and the spread of democracy.
Wilson believed that the United States had a duty to spread democracy and used aggressive moral diplomacy to ensure this objective. He frequently intervened in the affairs of other countries, particularly in Latin America, to promote democracy and curb imperialism. For example, in 1913, Wilson refused to recognize Victoriano Huerta as the leader of Mexico because he had illegally seized power. In 1914, he ordered U.S. troops into Mexico to justify his actions. Wilson also sent troops to Haiti in 1915, the Dominican Republic in 1916, Cuba in 1917, and Panama in 1918, with varying degrees of success in creating democratic states.
Wilson's moral diplomacy was also meant to cripple economies that did not align with American moral values and force them to accede to U.S. demands. This approach increased direct U.S. military action in many countries and manipulated situations in non-democratic countries or those with values that Wilson considered morally corrupt. Wilson's policies were criticized as the peak of American Exceptionalism, and some viewed his idealism as irrational.
In the lead-up to World War I, Wilson encouraged the country to remain neutral, attributing the conflict to militant nationalism and ethnic hatreds in Europe. However, once the U.S. entered the war, Wilson sought to revolutionize international affairs with his Fourteen Points speech, advocating for a new diplomacy of open covenants and the dismantling of imperial orders to allow for self-rule and independence. Wilson's vision laid the groundwork for the United States to become a global actor in international affairs, with a belief in American morality and democracy at its core.
Following World War II, the U.S. joined the United Nations, further solidifying its role in international diplomacy. Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin formed the "Big Three," with China and France also playing major roles in the creation of the postwar United Nations. Roosevelt aimed to use the United Nations and his personal relationship with Stalin to resolve problems caused by Moscow's aggressive intentions.
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World War One and Wilsonian diplomacy
Woodrow Wilson's diplomacy during World War I was driven by his belief in the spread of democracy and moral principles in foreign policy. He encouraged the United States to look beyond economic interests and define its foreign policy in terms of ideals, morality, and democracy. This approach, known as Wilsonian diplomacy or moral diplomacy, had a significant impact on the United States' role in World War I and its aftermath.
Wilson's presidency marked a shift from the dollar diplomacy of his predecessor, William Howard Taft, which emphasised economic support to improve bilateral ties. In contrast, Wilson's diplomacy was based on economic power and the belief in American exceptionalism—the idea that the United States had a unique world mission to spread liberty and democracy. This belief influenced his interventions in Latin America, including Mexico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Panama. Wilson frequently stated that he wanted to spread democracy and ensure "just governments" that rested "upon the consent of the governed."
However, Wilson's insistence on democracy in Latin America undermined the promise of self-determination for these nations. For example, in Haiti, American troops under federal command forced the Haitian legislature to choose Wilson's selected candidate as president. Similarly, in Nicaragua, US troops were used to select the country's president. Wilson's actions in Latin America have been characterised as a form of imperialism, as they often involved military force and economic power to impose American ideals on other nations.
During World War I, Wilson initially appealed to Americans to remain neutral, believing that the underlying cause of the war was militant nationalism and ethnic hatreds in Europe. However, in 1917, the United States entered the war, driven by the German announcement of unrestricted submarine warfare and the sinking of ships with US citizens on board. Wilson's war aims went beyond defence and maritime interests. In his War Message to Congress, he declared that the US objective was "to vindicate the principles of peace and justice in the world."
To achieve a just and secure peace, Wilson presented the Fourteen Points as a basis for negotiating the Treaty of Versailles. Eight of these points addressed specific territorial issues, while others focused on general principles for a peaceful world, including open covenants, freedom of the seas, free trade, reduction of armaments, and self-determination. Wilson's vision for collective security through US leadership in international organisations, like the League of Nations, appealed to the public. However, the United States ultimately declined membership in the League due to concerns over automatic defence commitments.
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The Fourteen Points
Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points were a statement of principles for peace, which were to be used for peace negotiations to end World War I. The principles were outlined in a speech on war aims and peace terms to the United States Congress on January 8, 1918.
- Open covenants of peace, openly arrived at, with no private international understandings of any kind, and diplomacy conducted in the public view.
- Absolute freedom of the seas, both in peace and war, except in waters near national territories.
- Removal of economic barriers between nations, with equal trade conditions for all.
- Reduction in armaments by all nations, to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety.
- Impartial adjustment of colonial claims, with the interests of native populations being considered equal to those of colonists.
- Evacuation of all Russian territories and a promise that the other nations would not interfere in Russia's internal affairs.
- Evacuation of Belgian territories and restoration of full sovereignty, without any attempt to limit the independence that Belgium enjoyed prior to the war.
- Return of French territories, and the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France.
- Re-adjustment of the Italian frontiers along clearly recognisable lines of nationality.
- Autonomy for the peoples of Austria-Hungary, with free access to the sea for the independent states that were formed.
- Evacuation of Romanian, Serbian and Montenegrin territories, with international guarantees of their political and economic independence and security.
- Autonomy for the Turkish portions of the Ottoman Empire, with the Dardanelles guaranteed to be open to all nations.
- Establishment of an independent Polish state, with access to the sea.
- A "general association of nations" to be formed to offer "mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike".
Wilson used the Fourteen Points as the basis for negotiating the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the war. However, he faced resistance from other Allied leaders, who were mostly interested in regaining what they had lost and punishing Germany. Wilson's insistence on the inclusion of the League of Nations in the Treaty forced him to compromise on other points. As a result, the Treaty of Versailles did not fully reflect the Fourteen Points, and the United States never joined the League of Nations.
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Frequently asked questions
Moral diplomacy is a type of foreign policy that aims to spread democracy and freedom, and empower developing nations to become self-sustaining and democratic.
Moral diplomacy increased US direct military action in many countries and impacted economies by manipulating situations in non-democratic countries or those with values considered morally corrupt by President Wilson.
The core principles of moral diplomacy were self-determination and freedom. Wilson believed that moral diplomacy was an alternative to the imperialist policies of his predecessors.
Dollar diplomacy, implemented by William Howard Taft, highlighted the importance of economic support to improve bilateral ties between two nations. Moral diplomacy, on the other hand, was based on economic power and the spread of democracy.
No, moral diplomacy did not start World War II. World War II started in 1939 with the invasion of Poland by Germany, which led to Britain and France declaring war on Germany.
