Recent History Paragraph-George F. Kennan

George F. Kennan criticized the tendency of the American government to interfere in foreign affairs based on moral judgement, a policy that was particularly emphasized in the Progressive Era. George F. Kennan, an American diplomat and historian, was known for his role as an advocate during the Cold War. In his book, “Morality and Foreign Policy,” Kennan warned against moralistic interventions in foreign affairs, emphasizing that America should not interfere in international affairs for idealistic reasons. However, the Progressive Era, particularly under President Woodrow Wilson, embraced an interventionist approach driven by idealistic values and standards. Wilson’s moral diplomacy, a foreign policy that sought to promote democracy and human rights, led the U.S. to interfere in other nations under the guise of spreading liberty, and encouraged the U.S. to intervene in foreign affairs for a moral, rather than an imperialist motivation. In his 1914 Address at Independence Hall, Wilson declared that, “A patriotic American is a man who is not niggardly and selfish in the things that he enjoys that make for human liberty and the rights of man. He wants to share them with the whole world, and he is never so proud of the great flag under which he lives as when it comes to mean to other people as well as to himself a symbol of hope and liberty.” Wilson’s speech reinforced his belief that the U.S. had a duty to share its democratic ideals beyond the national border, and spread its ideas of liberty and justice, so that it becomes a “symbol of hope and liberty.” However, Kennan would likely criticize this as a justification for unnecessary and self-righteous interventions that often caused more harm than good. For example, Wilson’s refusal to recognize the Mexican government in 1913, claiming that he would not recognize a “government of butchers,” and would teach Latin America to “elect good men” illustrated the American tendency to impose its own values on other nations. Furthermore, Wilson’s claim that he had to “teach” Latin America to elect good men reveals his belief that the U.S. was morally and politically superior, and therefore had a right to shape the government of other nations. Kennan would argue that this approach was both arrogant and ineffective, as it disregarded the wishes of other nations and assumed the U.S. had the right to dictate their governance. Rather than respecting national sovereignty, Wilson’s interventions in Latin America reinforced the notion that the U.S. had the moral authority to decide which governments were acceptable. By prioritizing ideals over strategic interests, Wilson’s foreign policy entangled the U.S. in unnecessary conflicts and resentment from other nations. Kennan warned against such moralistic interventions, and would criticize the Progressive Era foreign policy for being too moralistic and idealistic, arguing that it led the U.S. to interfere in global affairs under the assumption of moral superiority.