Simone Lawson
Big stick diplomacy, big stick ideology, or big stick policy refers to a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The term is derived from the phrase speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far, which Roosevelt claimed was a West African proverb. This approach involves negotiating peacefully while also having the strength and capability to take action if needed. In other words, it is about being respectful and refraining from wronging others, but also being prepared to defend oneself if necessary. Roosevelt's use of big stick diplomacy in foreign policy, particularly in Latin America, has been well-documented and has had a significant impact on the region's history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Named by | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Derived from | West African proverb |
| Foreign policy positions | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Military capability | World-class navy |
| Negotiating | Peacefully |
| Threatening | Military strength |
| Policy | Big Stick policy, or Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine |
| Canal diplomacy | Nicaragua and Panama |
| US intervention | Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, Dominican Republic |
| Police power | International |
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What You'll Learn
Coercion and threats
The "big stick" in Roosevelt's diplomacy refers to the threat of military force. Roosevelt believed that the United States had a right and an obligation to act as a policeman of the Western Hemisphere. He asserted that the country would use military force to correct any wrongdoing by any Latin American nation that threatened the stability of the region.
Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy had five components. Firstly, it was essential to possess a serious military capability that would force adversaries to pay attention. This meant having a world-class navy, as Roosevelt never had a large army at his disposal until the 1900s.
Roosevelt's approach to "big stick" diplomacy is evident in his intervention in Venezuela. In the early 20th century, Venezuela faced complaints from Britain and Germany about "acts of violence against the liberty of British subjects and the massive capture of British vessels," as well as the country's lack of initiative to pay off long-standing debts. In response, Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet, 16 battleships that peacefully circumnavigated the globe, illustrating the United States' rising yet neutral prestige under his direction.
Another example of Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy is seen in his support for the Panamanian people's revolution against Colombia in 1903. He sent American battleships to the coast of Colombia, ostensibly for practice maneuvers, effectively blocking Colombia from quelling the uprising. Within a week of the successful revolution, Roosevelt recognized Panama as a new country and offered them protection, making it an American protectorate until 1939.
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Use of sanctions
The "big stick" in Roosevelt's foreign policy approach refers to the use of military might as a form of negotiation and coercion. This approach is also known as "gunboat diplomacy", where a show of military force is used to exert pressure and influence on other nations. Roosevelt believed that a strong military presence was essential to successful diplomacy and that the United States had the right and obligation to act as the "policeman" of the Western Hemisphere.
Roosevelt's use of sanctions as a form of "big stick" diplomacy involved leveraging the country's economic and military power to coerce other nations into aligning with US interests. One notable example is the Roosevelt Corollary of December 1904, where he stated that the US would intervene to ensure that nations in the Western Hemisphere fulfilled their obligations to international creditors and did not violate US rights or invite foreign aggression. This policy served as justification for US interventions in Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
In Latin America, Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy was particularly effective due to the strong US military presence in the region. For instance, in Venezuela, the US received complaints from Britain and Germany about acts of violence against British subjects and the capture of British vessels, as well as Venezuela's failure to pay off long-standing debts. In response, Roosevelt used the military to manage the mines, putting the Venezuelan government under economic pressure to concede to foreign demands.
Another example of Roosevelt's use of sanctions can be seen in his support for the Panamanian revolution against Colombia in 1903. Roosevelt sent American battleships to the coast of Colombia, blocking their ability to reinforce their troops and quell the uprising. This intervention led to the successful establishment of Panama as an independent nation and a subsequent American protectorate until 1939.
Overall, Roosevelt's use of sanctions as a component of his "big stick" diplomacy relied on the credible threat of military force and economic coercion to achieve US diplomatic objectives without necessarily resorting to direct military conflict.
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Promise of rewards
The 'big stick' ideology, also known as big stick diplomacy or big stick policy, was a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The term is derived from the phrase "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far", which Roosevelt claimed was a West African proverb, although there is little evidence to support this.
The promise of rewards in Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy is based on the idea of negotiating peacefully while also having the strength to act if needed. This approach combines peaceful negotiation with the threat of military force, also known as Realpolitik, which implies a pursuit of political power. Roosevelt believed that the United States had the right and the obligation to be the policeman of the hemisphere, and that its military strength could be used as a tool to negotiate and enforce its diplomatic objectives.
One example of Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy in action is the Panama Canal incident. Roosevelt supported the Panamanian people in their revolt against Colombia, sending American battleships to the coast of Colombia during the Panamanian revolution. These warships blocked Colombia from sending additional troops to the region, effectively supporting the uprising. Roosevelt immediately recognized Panama as a new country and offered them protection and financial support, demonstrating his willingness to use America's military and economic power to negotiate and enforce its interests.
Another example of the promise of rewards in Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy can be seen in his approach to labour strikes. Instead of using military force to break up strikes, as was common in previous governments, Roosevelt chose to negotiate and meet with the leaders of the mining companies to try and resolve the issue peacefully. This approach showed that Roosevelt was willing to use diplomacy and negotiation as tools to avoid conflict and find a resolution.
Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy also played out in Latin America, where the United States had a strong military presence. Roosevelt's threat of force was credible in this region, and he was able to use it effectively to police small debtor nations with unstable governments. His policy asserted US domination when such dominance was considered a moral imperative, and he was prepared to use military force to restore internal stability to nations in the region if necessary.
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Military intervention
Big stick diplomacy, or the big stick ideology, was a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The term originates from Roosevelt's famous saying, "Speak softly and carry a big stick". The "big stick" refers to military strength, while "speaking softly" emphasizes the importance of peaceful negotiation and diplomacy.
As practiced by Roosevelt, big stick diplomacy had five components. One of the most important components was to possess serious military capability that would force the adversary to pay close attention. At the time, this meant having a world-class navy, as Roosevelt never had a large army at his disposal until the 1900s.
Roosevelt used military muscle several times throughout his two terms to complement his diplomatic policies and enforce the Monroe Doctrine during multiple interventions in Latin America. This included the Great White Fleet, 16 battleships that peacefully circumnavigated the globe as an illustration of the United States' rising yet neutral prestige under Roosevelt's direction. The fleet served as a powerful reflection of American power and a projection of its growing military capability.
Another significant application of big stick diplomacy was Roosevelt's mediation of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). He mediated peace between Russia and Japan through diplomatic efforts, for which he earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906. The successful mediation demonstrated the effectiveness of diplomatic intervention and established the US as a global peace broker.
The Roosevelt Corollary of December 1904 stated that the United States would intervene as a last resort to ensure that other nations in the Western Hemisphere fulfilled their obligations to international creditors and did not violate the rights of the United States or invite foreign aggression. As a result, the United States increasingly used military force to restore internal stability to nations in the region, including Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
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Demonstrations of power
The "big stick" in Roosevelt's foreign policy approach refers to the use of military power as a threat or a demonstration of strength. This was often coupled with peaceful negotiations and a soft tone in diplomacy.
Roosevelt believed that the United States had a right and an obligation to act as the "policeman" of the Western Hemisphere. This belief, along with his strategy of "speaking softly and carrying a big stick," shaped his foreign policy decisions.
One of the earliest demonstrations of Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy was during the Panama Revolution in 1903. Roosevelt sent American battleships to the coast of Colombia, ostensibly for practice maneuvers, as the Panamanian revolution unfolded. These warships blocked Colombia from reinforcing its troops in the region, aiding the Panamanian uprising. Within a week, Roosevelt recognized Panama as a sovereign nation, and it became an American protectorate until 1939.
Roosevelt also employed his "big stick" in Venezuela, where tensions with Britain and Germany had escalated due to complaints of "acts of violence against British subjects and the capture of British vessels." In this instance, Roosevelt used the military to enforce a blockade by the two foreign powers, demonstrating his willingness to intervene and protect the interests of smaller countries.
Another example of Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy was the deployment of the Great White Fleet, consisting of 16 battleships, which peacefully circumnavigated the globe. This display of military power illustrated the rising prestige of the United States on the world stage under Roosevelt's leadership.
Roosevelt's approach to foreign policy was also influenced by his interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, which asserted that the United States would intervene to ensure that nations in the Western Hemisphere fulfilled their obligations to international creditors and did not violate American rights or invite foreign aggression. This interpretation, known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, justified military interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean to police small debtor nations with unstable governments.
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Frequently asked questions
The 'big stick' is a reference to military power.
The term is derived from the phrase "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far", which was popularised by Theodore Roosevelt, who claimed it was a West African proverb, although there is little evidence for that.
Big stick diplomacy involves negotiating peacefully while also having the strength to act if required. This ties in with the idea of Realpolitik, which implies a pursuit of political power.
Yes, one example is when Roosevelt used the military to manage mines during a strike, putting mining companies out of work and ultimately ending the strike.
