Jonah Patel
Missionary moral diplomacy is a term used to describe the foreign policy of US President Woodrow Wilson, which centred on the idea that the US had a moral responsibility to spread democracy and freedom worldwide. This policy was applied to the US's interventions in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and China, and was an expansion of President Monroe's Monroe Doctrine. Wilson's approach to diplomacy was influenced by his belief in American exceptionalism and his desire to dismantle the imperial order. He saw a close relationship between domestic and foreign policies and sought to implement democratic governments in regions where he claimed to sense the need for people's self-determination.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| A policy of US President Woodrow Wilson | Democracy |
| Washington had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any Latin American government that was not democratic | Morality |
| An expansion of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine | Self-determination |
| A shift from isolationism to internationalism | Freedom |
| A belief in American exceptionalism | Justice |
| A disaster, according to some historians | Peace |
| A new form of statesmanship | Liberty |
| A shift in foreign policy to be hinged upon moral values rather than purely imperialist interests | Open markets |
| Support offered to nations that agreed to uphold democratic values | Human rights |
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What You'll Learn
- Woodrow Wilson's concept of missionary moral diplomacy was a shift from isolationism to internationalism
- Wilson's policies were driven by the belief that the US had a duty to spread democracy
- Wilson's diplomacy was a disaster, with some historians arguing it was ill-conceived and economically motivated
- Wilson's ideas about moral diplomacy were influenced by American exceptionalism and the belief in the US as a light unto nations
- Wilson's moral diplomacy was a reaction against the selfish materialism and imperialist interests of previous US foreign policies
Woodrow Wilson's concept of missionary moral diplomacy was a shift from isolationism to internationalism
Missionary diplomacy was a foreign policy approach adopted by US President Woodrow Wilson, which held that the US had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any non-democratic Latin American government. This policy was an expansion of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine.
Wilson's concept of missionary moral diplomacy was indeed a shift from isolationism to internationalism. Upon his inauguration, Wilson was faced with the question of how the US should approach foreign affairs, especially since full isolationism no longer seemed like a viable option. His answer was to enact moral diplomacy with freedom at its core, for citizens and economic trade. This was a departure from the dollar diplomacy of his predecessor, William Howard Taft, which emphasised economic support to improve bilateral ties. Wilson's policies were based on economic power and a belief in American exceptionalism, which held that the US had a world mission to spread liberty and democracy.
Wilson's 14 points, which revolved around the mission of spreading democracy, laid the groundwork for democratic nations to later create international political conglomerates to work towards shared goals. He believed that nations needed to forge international organisations to solidify their mutual goal of democracy and increase pressure on non-democratic entities. This belief in internationalism led to his proposal for the creation of a league of nations, open to all democratic states, which would be in charge of disarmament and the dismantling of colonial possessions.
Wilson frequently intervened in the affairs of other countries, particularly in Latin America, where he sought to spread democracy and "teach the South American republics to elect good men". These interventions included Mexico in 1914, Haiti from 1915–1934, the Dominican Republic in 1916, Cuba in 1917, and Panama in 1918.
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Wilson's policies were driven by the belief that the US had a duty to spread democracy
Missionary diplomacy was a policy of US President Woodrow Wilson, which held that the US had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to non-democratic governments in Latin America. This policy was an expansion of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine. Wilson's ideas about moral diplomacy and America's role in the world were rooted in the concept of American exceptionalism, which suggests that the US has a world mission to spread liberty and democracy.
Wilson's belief in the US's duty to spread democracy was evident in his actions during World War I. On April 2, 1917, he addressed a joint session of Congress, seeking a Declaration of War against Germany to make the world safe for democracy. He argued that the US was fighting for democracy, the right of people to have a voice in their governments, and the rights and liberties of small nations. Wilson's policies also extended to Latin America, where he frequently intervened in the internal affairs of countries like Mexico, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Panama.
Wilson's concept of missionary diplomacy was linked to his domestic program, the New Freedom, which envisioned a return to free competition in the United States and the destruction of monopolistic interests. Despite Wilson's noble objectives, his policy of missionary diplomacy has been criticized as ill-conceived and economically motivated. Arthur S. Link, for instance, argues that Wilson and Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan believed they "knew better how to promote the peace and well-being of other countries than did the leaders of those countries themselves."
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Wilson's diplomacy was a disaster, with some historians arguing it was ill-conceived and economically motivated
Missionary diplomacy was a policy of US President Woodrow Wilson, which held that the US had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any non-democratic Latin American government. Wilson's ideas about moral diplomacy and America's role in the world stemmed from American exceptionalism, which proposes that the United States has a world mission to spread liberty and democracy.
Wilson's diplomacy was a disaster, with historians arguing that it was ill-conceived and economically motivated. This is despite Wilson's admirable ideas and objectives, which included a vision of a "new diplomacy" consisting of "open covenants openly arrived at". Wilson's initial focus was on domestic issues, and he had little interest or knowledge of foreign affairs. However, he soon saw close relationships between domestic and foreign policies. Wilson's policy of neutrality at the start of World War I, for example, was influenced by the recession in the American economy at the time, as well as the eagerness of the British and French to buy American products.
Wilson frequently intervened in the affairs of other countries, particularly in Latin America, where he believed the US had a duty to spread democracy. He used aggressive moral diplomacy to ensure this objective, which included sending troops to Nicaragua and Haiti, and using them to influence the selection of those countries' presidents.
Wilson's objectives for Latin America, emphasizing democracy and constitutionalism, were admirable in the abstract but did not accord with the reality of the nations affected. His policies have been described as "ill-conceived" and "not destined to ensure the voluntary 'conversion' of the flock".
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Wilson's ideas about moral diplomacy were influenced by American exceptionalism and the belief in the US as a light unto nations
Missionary diplomacy was a policy pursued by US President Woodrow Wilson, which held that Washington had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any Latin American government that was not democratic. It was an expansion of President James Monroe's Monroe Doctrine. Wilson's ideas about moral diplomacy were influenced by American exceptionalism and the belief in the US as a light unto nations.
Wilson's moral diplomacy replaced the dollar diplomacy of his predecessor, William Howard Taft, which highlighted economic support to improve bilateral ties between nations. In contrast, Wilson's diplomacy was based on economic power and the belief that America had a specific world mission to spread liberty and democracy. This idea of American exceptionalism can be traced back to Alexis de Tocqueville, who first described the United States as "exceptional" in the 1830s. Wilson himself alluded to this concept in his 1914 address on "The Meaning of Liberty", where he envisioned America as a "light which will shine unto all generations and guide the feet of mankind to the goal of justice and liberty and peace".
Wilson's moral diplomacy was driven by the belief that the United States had a pioneering role in promoting democracy and peace worldwide. He considered moral diplomacy an alternative to imperialist policies, aiming to empower developing nations to become self-sustaining and democratic. This was particularly evident in Latin America, where Wilson sought to protect American economic and political hegemony while claiming to ensure peace and freedom for the region's inhabitants. He frequently intervened in Latin American countries, including Mexico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Panama, often using aggressive tactics to spread democracy and ensure American interests.
Wilson's critics argue that his legacy exemplifies American exceptionalism, with the belief that American ideology, policy, and institutions are supreme and should be universally applied, even by force if necessary. This was reflected in his decision to enter World War I, as well as his Fourteen Points speech, which laid out his vision for a democratic League of Nations. While his ideas were not widely accepted at the time, they eventually influenced the creation of the United Nations and the emergence of the US as a global actor in international affairs.
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Wilson's moral diplomacy was a reaction against the selfish materialism and imperialist interests of previous US foreign policies
Missionary diplomacy was a policy of US President Woodrow Wilson, which held that the US had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any non-democratic Latin American government. This policy was an expansion of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine. Wilson's ideas about moral diplomacy were influenced by American exceptionalism, which holds that the United States has a world mission to spread liberty and democracy.
In his 1914 address on "The Meaning of Liberty," Wilson alluded to America's potential to be "the light which will shine unto all generations and guide the feet of mankind to the goal of justice, liberty, and peace." He saw a close relationship between domestic and foreign policies and believed that the United States had a pioneering role in promoting democracy and peace worldwide. This belief in American exceptionalism and the country's potential to be a force for good in the world informed Wilson's concept of moral diplomacy.
Wilson's moral diplomacy was a shift in foreign policy, hinging upon moral values rather than purely imperialist interests. He sought to offer support to nations that agreed to uphold democratic values. This approach was evident in his interventions in various countries, including Mexico in 1914, Haiti from 1915 to 1934, the Dominican Republic in 1916, Cuba in 1917, and Panama in 1918. However, despite Wilson's admirable ideas and objectives, his missionary diplomacy was ultimately a failure and a disaster.
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Frequently asked questions
Missionary Moral Diplomacy is a term used to describe the foreign policy approach of US President Woodrow Wilson, which centred on the moral principles of democracy and national self-determination, rather than economic interests.
Wilson's Missionary Moral Diplomacy was characterised by his belief in the need to spread democracy and freedom internationally. This included a rejection of isolationism, a focus on international organisations, and a determination to support democratic governments and movements abroad.
Wilson's administration took a range of actions to implement this policy, including signing bilateral treaties, calling for tariff reform, and intervening in the affairs of Latin American countries, such as Mexico, Haiti, and Cuba.
The impact of Wilson's Missionary Moral Diplomacy is debated by historians. While it laid the groundwork for the US to become a global actor in international affairs and influenced the creation of international organisations, some argue that it was a failure or a disaster, with negative consequences in countries like Haiti.
