Omar Bennett
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 Big Stick was 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 Big Stick ideology was created to assert U.S. domination when such dominance was considered a moral imperative. Roosevelt believed that the United States had the right and the obligation to be the policeman of the hemisphere, and that it was good for civilized nations to intervene in other countries' affairs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Named by | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Basis | West African proverb |
| Foreign policy | Negotiate peacefully but be prepared for war |
| Military capability | A world-class navy |
| Diplomacy | Intervene in other countries' affairs |
| Policemen of the hemisphere | Latin America |
| Canal diplomacy | Panama Canal |
| Policemen of the world | Correct any wrongdoing |
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What You'll Learn
Theodore Roosevelt's interpretation of a West African proverb
Roosevelt believed that the United States should act as a global policeman, intervening in other countries' affairs for the greater good. This belief, which he termed the "strenuous life", was shaped by the country's recent military successes and the understanding that the coercive power of the United States could be used to further its interests abroad. As such, Roosevelt ensured that the US played a larger role in international diplomacy while also building up its military capabilities, particularly its navy.
Roosevelt's interpretation of the proverb can be seen in his comments to journalists regarding the Panamanian revolution. He made clear that the United States would strongly support the Panamanian people if they chose to revolt against Colombia, and he sent American battleships to the coast of Colombia to block the movement of additional troops into the region. This action, known as "big stick diplomacy", was also employed during the pursuit of a canal across Central America, with Roosevelt offering Nicaragua $1.5 million, $100,000 annually, and a guarantee of "sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity" in exchange for approval of the canal.
Roosevelt's use of the proverb reflected his view that a subtle touch was needed to complement his diplomatic policies. He understood that simply speaking softly could lead to being bullied, while carrying a big stick without speaking softly would result in war. Thus, Roosevelt's interpretation of the West African proverb guided his foreign policy decisions, shaping the United States' role in the world during his presidency.
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The Monroe Doctrine and Latin America
The Monroe Doctrine was a US foreign policy framework addressing America's security and commercial interests in the Western Hemisphere. It was outlined in a speech given by President James Monroe to Congress on December 2, 1823. The Doctrine's main objective was to curb European ambitions in the Western Hemisphere and prevent the colonisation of any part of the American continents by European powers. This was in the context of the newly independent Latin American nations freeing themselves from Spanish rule and the desire of the US to increase its influence and trading ties in the region.
The Doctrine was met with tacit British approval, as it aligned with their goal of promoting free trade and weakening the Spanish empire. However, the British also pursued their own commercial and strategic alliances in Latin America, which rivalled the United States. The reaction in Latin America to the Monroe Doctrine was generally favourable, but some leaders, such as Simón Bolívar, viewed it as a tool of national policy rather than a charter for concerted hemispheric action. They knew that the US president had little power to enforce the Doctrine without British support.
In the late 1800s, US economic and military power enabled it to enforce the Monroe Doctrine more assertively. This led to its extension through Theodore Roosevelt's Corollary, which justified unilateral US intervention in Latin America. Roosevelt's "Big Stick" policy, derived from the proverb "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far", was used to enforce the Monroe Doctrine through multiple interventions in Latin America. For example, Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet of 16 battleships to peacefully circumnavigate the globe as a display of US military power. The US also pursued "Canal Diplomacy" in Central America, seeking to build a canal across the region, which furthered its influence in the area.
The Monroe Doctrine was not always consistently enforced, and there were instances where the US failed to act in defence of Latin American nations, such as during the French and British naval blockade of Argentina in 1838-50. This led to suspicions about the true intentions behind the Monroe Doctrine and concerns that it was not a sincere commitment to hemispheric defence.
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Canal Diplomacy in Central America
The idea of a canal across Central America was first proposed in 1534 by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who wanted to ease the voyage for ships travelling between Spain and Peru. The English physician and philosopher Sir Thomas Browne specifically proposed the Isthmus of Panama as the most convenient place for such a canal in 1668. The first attempt to make the isthmus part of a trade route was the ill-fated Darien scheme, launched by the Kingdom of Scotland in 1698. However, this attempt was abandoned due to inhospitable conditions.
In the early 1800s, American and British leaders and businessmen wanted to ship goods quickly and cheaply between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. In 1846, the Mallarino-Bidlack Treaty granted the United States transit rights and the right to intervene militarily in the isthmus. In 1848, the discovery of gold in California further increased the demand for a crossing of Panama as a practical route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In 1850, the United States and Great Britain negotiated the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty to rein in rivalry over a proposed canal through Central America. This treaty bound both nations to joint control of any canal built in Nicaragua or anywhere in Central America.
In 1870, US President Grant established an Interoceanic Canal Commission to investigate the possible routes for a canal across Central America. The commission decided in favour of Nicaragua as the preferred route. However, French attempts to construct the Panama Canal, led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, the builder of the Suez Canal, advanced further. In 1880, de Lesseps began excavating in Panama but had to stop in 1889 due to malaria, yellow fever, and other tropical diseases.
In 1901, Secretary of State John Hay pressed the Nicaraguan Government for approval of a canal. The US accepted the deal, but a problem of court jurisdiction arose. The US did not have legal jurisdiction in the land of the future canal. This problem was on the verge of correction until pro-Panama representatives posed problems for Nicaragua. President Roosevelt responded by dispatching US warships to Panama City and Colón in support of Panamanian independence. Colombian troops were unable to negotiate the jungles of the Darién Gap and Panama declared independence in 1903. The newly declared Republic of Panama named Philippe Bunau-Varilla as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, who negotiated the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903, which provided the United States with a 10-mile-wide strip of land for the canal. The Panama Canal was completed in 1914, symbolising US technological prowess and economic power.
The US's use of "'big stick'" diplomacy during "Canal Diplomacy" in Central America demonstrated its pursuit of a canal across the region. The US was willing to use its military strength to support its diplomatic objectives and assert its domination when it was considered a moral imperative.
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The United States as a respected world power
The Big Stick policy was a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The policy asserted US domination when such dominance was considered a moral imperative. The phrase "big stick" was derived from the proverb "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far", which Roosevelt claimed was a West African proverb, although there is little evidence for that. Roosevelt's foreign policy was shaped by this belief and his strategy of "speaking softly and carrying a big stick".
Roosevelt believed that the United States had the right and the obligation to be the policeman of the Western Hemisphere. He felt that the Western Hemisphere's best interests were also the best interests of the United States. This belief was especially evident in Latin America and the Caribbean, where he enacted the Big Stick policy. Roosevelt was often depicted in cartoons wielding his "big stick" and pushing the US foreign agenda, often through the power of the US Navy.
Roosevelt's Big Stick policy had five components. First, it was essential to possess serious military capability that would force the adversary to pay close attention. At the time, this meant a world-class navy; Roosevelt never had a large army at his disposal until the 1900s. Roosevelt believed that in light of the country's recent military successes, it was unnecessary to use force to achieve foreign policy goals, so long as the military could threaten force. This rationale also rested on the young president's philosophy, which he termed the "strenuous life", and that prized challenges overseas as opportunities to instill American men with the resolve and vigour they allegedly once acquired in the Trans-Mississippi West.
Roosevelt's diplomacy with European countries helped make the United States a respected world power. After Roosevelt helped negotiate the end of the Russo-Japanese War, he also intervened to prevent war between Germany and France over their colonial claims in Morocco. He wanted the US to wield a 'big stick' in global affairs, the way European empires did. Roosevelt was concerned that if the United States didn't "take a bigger role in world affairs, it would actually decline from being a world power". To prevent this, Roosevelt made sure the US played a larger role in international diplomacy while at the same time reminding other countries that it was building a big navy.
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The military muscle behind the big stick
The Big Stick ideology, also known as Big Stick diplomacy or policy, was a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The ideology 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 this has been disputed.
The "big stick" in Roosevelt's foreign policy referred to the use of military force to back up diplomatic negotiations. Roosevelt believed that it was unnecessary to use force to achieve foreign policy goals as long as the military could threaten to do so. This belief was based on the idea of negotiating peacefully while also having the strength to act if needed. In other words, the "big stick" was a thinly veiled threat.
Roosevelt's first noted public use of the phrase occurred when he advocated before Congress for increasing naval preparation to support the nation's diplomatic objectives. He believed that a strong navy was essential to forcing adversaries to pay attention and that the United States had the right and obligation to act as an international police power, correcting any wrongdoing by Latin American nations that threatened regional stability.
Roosevelt put this ideology into practice in several ways. For example, he sent American battleships to the coast of Colombia in 1903 as the Panamanian revolution unfolded. The warships blocked Colombia from moving additional troops into the region, effectively supporting the Panamanian uprising. Roosevelt also used the "big stick" during "Canal Diplomacy" in Nicaragua and Panama, where the presence of American military power backed up diplomatic actions and ensured American interests were served.
In addition to these specific instances, Roosevelt's belief in the importance of military muscle was evident in his comments to journalists, where he made clear that the United States was willing to use its power to support the Panamanian people if they chose to revolt against Colombia. This show of force, alongside diplomatic negotiations, led to the successful creation of the country of Panama, which became an American protectorate until 1939.
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Frequently asked questions
Big stick diplomacy was created by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, to exert US domination when such dominance was considered a moral imperative.
The ideology behind the big stick diplomacy was negotiating peacefully but also having the strength to take action if needed. This idea is encapsulated in the proverb, "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far," which Roosevelt claimed was a West African proverb.
Roosevelt used the big stick diplomacy to enforce the Monroe Doctrine and intervene in Latin America. He also used it during Canal Diplomacy to pursue the construction of a canal across Central America, which resulted in the Panama Canal.
