Progressivism in American foreign policy: past and present

Abstract

The article examines the impact of progressivism on contemporary U.S. foreign policy. American progressivism, which is said to have its roots in the British settlement house movement and the Fabian Society in Britain in the late 19th century, was a political philosophy and reform movement that developed against the consequences of modernism such as business corruption, environmental pollution, and the growth of capital at the expense of society’s interest. Strongly affiliated with expansionism and interventionism, it was also influential in foreign policy during the period between 1890 and 1910. Theodore Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy, William Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy, and Woodrow Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy prominently reflected this liberal internationalist trend. In this study, we investigate the foreign policy understanding of today’s progressives, analyzing the bills, resolutions, and joint/concurrent resolutions sponsored by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren who represent the progressive wing in the Democratic Party. We argue that modern progressivism differs from its origins in that it prioritizes international cooperation, the non-intervention principle, and refraining from the use of force. Among the article’s important findings are that progressives do not seek hegemonic supremacy, that they advocate a normative understanding of foreign policy that prioritizes values over interests, and that they distance themselves from a pro-interventionist political philosophy. On the other hand, they do not strongly question American leadership at the dawn of the 21st century.