Looking back over weeks 7-9, what in your view was
the 1) most common and 2) most effective strategy for American expansion abroad
in the period 1890-1920. Formal empire? Dollar diplomacy? Americanization? Or an
interplay of all three? (80-100 words, by 5pm Friday October 5)
The most common and the most effective forms of American expansion abroad were very different during the 1890-1920s. I believe the most common form of expansion used by the US was driven by exceptionalism. America believed they were superior and had a duty to ‘aid’ others in achieving these goals. Although, exceptionalism was not so much about bringing other countries (or races) up to the US standard but rather an exertion of American power, the reasons that drove American policy were influenced by their superior image.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the most effective form of expansion had more to do with economics. The acceptance of the American lifestyle was widespread not just because America pushed themselves into international markets, but also because they were welcomed. Americans brought with them innovation, skill but most of all a unique style of entrepreneurship. Although there are exceptions, looking past American superiority, American ways were accepted for the economic benefit of the receiving countries.
The more effective strategies for American expansion during this period seem to have been through more informal means. Formal empire, while still practised, proved to be less successful during this period. For example, in the Philippines, there was minimal change in Filipino society, politics and education. Dollar diplomacy and Americanization accelerated expansion. American products were able to quickly infiltrate the rest of the world, such as Coke and Kodak. The appeal of American products lay in their mass appeal, and efficient production. Dollar diplomacy was no clearly demonstrated in the investment of American money into factories abroad, such as in Scotland and Australia. Formal empire, while not completely ineffective, had to be combined with other forms of ‘soft power’ in order to fulfil American desires for global expansion.
ReplyDeleteSoft power was a very effective strategy for expansion abroad, specifically through the use of Americanization and the exporting of mass culture abroad. This was the more common and more effective strategy in comparison to Dollar Diplomacy and formal empire. Through adopting soft power influence the infiltration of foreign countries with American culture was more effectively adopted. This is illustrated by companies such as Coca-Cola, the rise of Hollywood, and the portrayal of the Wild-West. Rydell and Kroes described such implementation of Americanization as ‘a weapon’ to achieve US objectives.
ReplyDeleteBy the end of the 19th century, a confident and newly powerful America sought to expand its influence beyond its borders in an effort to promote civilization, commerce and Christianity. Yet, the unique national mentality of the Americans when compared with that of the imperialist European powers meant that the creation of a formal overseas empire was not an undertaking that held a strong or consistent degree of support among the American public or elite. Unlike European empires, settlers from the United States did not leave the homeland to settle new colonial possessions; nor was there an official colonial department within the American government.
ReplyDeleteAs a result of this, the most effective and common foreign policy strategy utilized by successive American Administrations was one that intertwined the process of economic and cultural Americanization with the political and military oversight of informal empire. As a result of this potent mixture, American products and ideas were often welcomed into foreign countries due to their positive reputation. When they were not welcomed, American political and military might would then remove the obstacles to their expansion.
Each of these strategies were important in different events, however Americanisation can be seen as a core motivator for all strategies involved in American expansion abroad. Dollar Diplomacy was more influential in furthering the American interests, particularly in Latin America, as it awarded the same economic advantages as annexation without the criticism. The notion of manifest destiny and American exceptionalism served to justify occupation of territories, from the Cherokee Indian removal to the establishment of a formal empire in the Philippines. The concept of formal empire was proven to be less successful than informal methods of ‘soft power’ and was limited to relatively small territories, whereas ‘soft power’ had the ability to infiltrate larger mass markets abroad and spread the American influence.
ReplyDeleteBetween 1890 and 1920, the United States relied least on formal empire in order to increase its power, as at home this proved significantly more unpopular than the Americanization, or Dollar diplomacy. Dollar diplomacy and Americanization were both utilised, with both complementing each other nicely. By trying to reduce foreign influence in Latin America through dollar diplomacy, and simultaneously introducing American products and culture, Latin American countries were moulded in the direction the United States preferred. This use of soft power contrasted the occupation of the Philippines which was no more favourable to the United States during the early Twentieth Century than Latin America, but did have the drawback of being more clearly imperialistic, and in ways that many saw as directly opposing the ideals of the American Constitution and Revolutions. Through soft power, especially dollar diplomacy, the United States was able to bend nations to its will without the drawbacks of appearing truly imperialistic in the eyes of many Americans.
ReplyDeleteAmerican expansion abroad in the period of 1890- 1920 was the result of a variety of strategies employed by the American nation to impose itself on the globe. Driven by their exceptionalism self-conceptions by which they considered themselves a nation of supreme quality and it being their duty to assist the rest of the world, by inflicting their way of life upon others. Soft power played a large role in their expansion efforts, while formal empire was not as effective in their aims. America’s desire to push into the global market was helped particularly by soft power, in the form of dollar diplomacy and Americanisation. America was able introduce, mass-produced, uniform products, such as coke into the international market - In turn, implanting their culture and the essence of their nation upon foreign nations.
ReplyDeleteThe most common and effective strategy for American expansion has been an interplay of all three strategies; empire, Americanisation and Dollar Diplomacy. Americanisation which is linked to an overriding theme of Manifest Destiny can be said to be the core motivator of expansion abroad. The overwhelming obligation to spread just government and civilization throughout the world underpinned this destiny and encouraged the removal of the Cherokee people West and the annexation of the Philippines. In relation to Dollar Diplomacy, this strategy held more weight in situations where large markets and areas needed to be infiltrated. Adopting a soft power approach was deemed more appropriate in instances of Latin America. Finally, the concept of formal empire proved less successful in expansion however, it was still utilized.
ReplyDeleteOver the period 1890-1920, America progressed through three different forms of imperialism, with each type being most common for a time before it was superseded by a more popular method for expansion. Initially, the US government preferred a system of formal empire, with such expansionist actions such as was seen in the Philippines following the 1898 Spanish-American war. This form of empire was very useful for achieving such goals as setting up coaling stations for the American fleet; however we can consider it as less effective than later forms of imperialism for spreading American values abroad. While dollar diplomacy allowed the US to dominate nearby Latin America in the early 20th Century, it can be seen as less effective in spreading American ideals such as individualism and liberal democracy than the later phenomenon of Americanisation. This somewhat imposed spread of culture through the selling and advertising of American products as well as Hollywood films and sports such as Baseball, allowed for America to exert influence on a global scale, making it the most effective strategy for American expansion abroad in this period.
ReplyDeleteThough there were elements of formal empire in the strategy for expansion, in 1890-1920, both the most common and most effective strategy was the soft power of Americansiation. It reached far beyond the extent of America’s formal empire. By exporting products abroad in Europe and Asia, which was successful due to the advanced technology, showcasing at fairs and exhibitions, instalment buying and glamour, for instance of Hollywood, there was also a spreading of American ideals and values, including the frontier myth, the American dream and religion to an extent. This was a successful infiltration by American culture, an essential part of expansionism.
ReplyDeleteThe informal means of American expansion seem to be the most prevalent. While formal empire was employed at times (for example, in the Philippines) it was not an altogether effective regime. It did allow the establishment of a physical presence, but the effectiveness of this in terms of American expansion can be questioned.
ReplyDeleteInformal methods, on the other hand, were more effective. Dollar diplomacy allowed economic control without the use of 'hard' power.
American expansion abroad came in several forms in the period of 1890 - 1920, including: American culture and commerce. While there were several individual strategies adopted to pursue this expansion, an interplay of economic and cultural Americanization formed the basis of American foreign policy for that period. Dollar diplomacy, for instance, had significant influence in Latin America as it ostensibly produced the same economic advantages in the absence of annexation. The spread of Hollywood films and major league sports heralded the cultural imperialism of that epoch, fuelling, to an extent, the mentality of exceptionalism in american society. As such, it was these informal methods of American expansion that helped promulgate the American way of life.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the period of 1890 to 1920, the interplay of formal empire, dollar diplomacy and Americanization were the most effective strategy for American expansion abroad. The interplay of all three, as seen in the annexation of the Philippines. Although it could be considered a failed attempt at formal empire, America were still able to push their own values, ideology and commercial benefits towards the Philippines. Thus enabling the soft empire attributes to be established both in the Philippines as around the world. As I believe without the military power behind America, the soft power would not have been able to successfully conquer the markets and governments of other nations.
ReplyDeleteThe American expansion of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries was realised through a combination of formal empire-building, economic influence and the spread of American culture. The three were not used equally, however; the establishment of a formal empire, for example, was almost exclusively applicable in the case of the Phillipines, while the spread of America’s soft power and the gradual global Americanization of culture seemed almost universal. Perhaps the most effective, however, especially in the Americas, was the expansion of American economic influence. America at the turn of the century was undergoing a drastic economic boom, with the rise to prominence of figures such as John D. Rockefeller and the Vanderbilt family, among others, becoming ludicrously wealthy during the period. The economic expansion allowed America to leverage greater power in its immediate area.
ReplyDeleteThe expansion of American influence throughout this period was most successful because of a combination of both the formal and informal policies of successive administrations. Formal expansion as seen in the Philippines and to some extent Latin America led to American dominance in the new world and challenged the traditional euro-centric balance of global power. Informal expansion as seen in Latin America added and expanded the scope of growing US dominance through dollar diplomacy and often the threat of traditional expansion. As such, it becomes clear that the combination of a number of successive soft and hard power policies was the key to the success of the rapid spread of American expansion in this period.
ReplyDeleteBetween 1890 and 1920, informal empire though the strategies of dollar diplomacy and Americanisation, were the most common and the most efficient means of the U.S. spreading its influence. Formal empire, of the sort used in the annexation of the Philippines, lead to more formal resistance, whereas by constructing its identity as progressive and modern, America was able to make its ideas a commodity, lending itself well to the diffusion of American ideals across the globe. Furthermore, this type of empire was far more cost efficient, allowing for the expansion of trade routes, such as with the Panama canal.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Malone
ReplyDeleteWhile not the most common, certainly the most aggressive act of American expansion 1890-1920 was the annexation of the Philippines. This represented a movement toward the creation of a formal empire, and greater alignment with colonial European powers. However, while this created a formal empire, soft democracy was arguably more effective in furthering American influence amongst other sovereign powers. This was assisted via America's greater ability to mass produce in-demand products, which allowed for a greater export market, as well as increased globalisation and further political interaction with European heads of state.