Imperialism of Righteousness

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Imperialism of Righteousness

• The US Looks Abroad

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Albert J. Beveridge

• We shall establish trading-posts throughout the
  world as distributing points for American
  products. We shall cover the oceans with our
  merchant marine. We shall build a navy to the
  measure of our greatness. Great colonies, flying
  our flag and trading with us, will grow about our
  posts of trade. Our institutions will follow the
  flag on the wings of our commerce. And America
  law, American order, American civilization and
  the American flag will plant themselves on
  shores, hitherto bloody and benighted, but, by
  those agencies of God, henceforth to be made
  beautiful and bright.

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Economic Crisis of 1893-97

• Many attributed it to collapse of RR and stock
  market
• More basic economic structural problems
• Economy was overbuilt
• Insufficient market for goods
• Profits had grown but output increased more
  rapidly
• Number of millionaires increased but most workers
  lacked ability to buy back what they produced

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• We are raising more than we can consume making
  more than we can use. Therefore, we must find
  new markets fro your produce, new occupation for
  our capital, new work for our labor.
• Is this mercantilism???

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FJ Turner

• Having passed from the task of filling up the
  vacant spaces of the continent the nation is now
  thrown back upon itself.
• American require a new frontier if democracy were
  to survive

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White Mans Burden

• 1893 Worlds Fair displayed brilliance of
  American achievement and showed rest of world as
  source of exotic entertainment
• Physical layout of fair divided US and Europe
  from rest of world (civilization and savagery)
• Colored Peoples Day
• Gave material shape to ideas about superiority of
  American civilization
• Showcased American industries and made case for
  expansion abroad

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Social Gospel Josiah Strong

• US most economically advanced and most Christian
  country had providential role
• Linked economic and spiritual expansion
• Imperialism of righteousness rest of the world
  is to be Christianized and civilized by white
  Americans who were best suited to task
  brothers keeper
• Americans moved beyond own national interests to
  consider needs of others
• Morally wrong for America to shirk White Mans
  Burden (Kipling)

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Sen. Beveridge (IN)

• God has made us adept in government that we may
  administer governments among savages and senile
  peoples He has marked the American people as his
  chosen nation to finally lead in the regeneration
  of the world.

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Late 19th Century Influence

• Several American groups interested in extending
  influence abroad
• 1. Protestant missionaries
• 2. Businessmen
• 3. Imperialists

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Missionaries

• Active promoters of American interest b/c
  integration into world economy made them more
  conscious of diversity of world population
• Grew quickly b/t 1870 and 1900
• Mostly directed at China
• Believed it was their duty to civilize Asian
  masses and save their souls
• Resembled progressive reformers in US who sought
  to uplift immigrant masses

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Foreign Missions

• Push for expansion coincided with religious
  evangelism foreign missions
• Early 19th C focused on NA (Indians and
  immigrants)
• After CW Protestants sponsored missions in
  foreign lands (Womens Union Missionary Society
  of Americans for Heathen Lands)
• Funded by wealthy men and campaigns of women
• Many college students volunteered

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Missions, cont.

• China 23 Protestant denom. had missions here
• 1915 3,000,000 women in foreign missionary
  societies
• Spread gospel, taught school, medical care,
  vocational training, encouraged ed.
• YMCA/YWCA set up missions (US had three great
  occupying forces the army, the navy, and the Y)
• Prepared way for economic expansion Commerce
  follows the missionary J. Strong

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Businessmen

• Industrialists, traders, investors looked
  overseas for diff. reasons
• Exports rose by 1914 foreign investment was 7
  of GNP
• Multinational companies grew
• American Tobacco sold 1 billion cigarettes/year
  to East Asian markets
• Eastman Kodak, Standard Oil, International
  Harvester

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Businessmen, cont.

• 1890 events spurred appeal of foreign markets
• Census announced frontier had disappeared
• The Significance of the Frontier in AH
• Frontier had been essential to growth of economy
  and cultivation of democracy
• In West Americans established identity rugged
  individualism, egalitarianism, democratic faith
• Thesis criticized in recent years

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Business 1890 events

• Fear that increasingly urbanized and
  industrialized nation had lost its way
• Country entering deepest, longest, most
  conflict-ridden depression in its history
• Where would new frontiers be found?
• James Beveridge supplied answer foreign markets

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Imperialism and Empire

• Politicians, intellectuals, military strategists
  many thought expansion was key ingredient in
  pursuit of world power
• US should build strong navy, solidify sphere of
  influence in Caribbean, extend markets to Asia
• Many Social Darwinists believed success in
  international competition reflected laws of nature

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Alfred Thayer Mayan

• Most influential imperialist
• The Influence of Sea Power upon History
• Greatest empires relied on capacity to control
  seas
• Required canal access across CA and bases in S.
  Pacific and Caribbean
• Recommended possession of HA and other islands
• Doubted Americans would respect cost and
  responsibility of empire

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Other Imperialists

• TR, Henry Cabot Lodge
• Govt worried about Euro scramble to extend
  imperial control
• All presidents from 1880 committed to big navy
• 1898 US ranked 5th in world 1900 3rd
• Secured rights to Pago Pago, leased PH fueling
  stations
• 1889 protectorate over Samoa
• Cleveland dealt w/HA issue 1891 revolution
  1893 - protectorate

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Congress and Imperialism

• Gained strength in Congress
• Spurred by Jingoism nationalists who believed
  swaggering foreign policy and willingness to go
  to war would enhance nations glory
• On alert for insults to countrys honor swift
  calls for retaliation
• Emerged in France, Germany Britain, Japan, US
• Modern feminist lit suggests men of 1890s saw war
  as opportunity to revive frontier-like notions of
  masculinity
• The number of men and officals who are now mad
  to fight somebody is appalling. E.L. Godkin
  The Nation

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An Overseas Empire

• 1860s Seward predicted foreign trade would play
  increasingly impt role in Amer. economy
• 1870-1900 exports tripled (400M to 1.5B)
• Euro markets began to contract Amer. leaders
  look to Asia
• Viewed Caribbean as American lake and LA as
  market for goods

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Empire, cont.

• Economic crisis of 1890s made this necessary
• Large-scale conquest more expensive and less
  appealing than economic domination and selective
  colonization
• Wanted empire w/o large-scale permanent military
  occupation and colonial administration
• Focused plans on western hem.
• Canada
• Central Am

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Empire, cont.

• James Blaine (SoS) advocated Good Neighbor
  policy What we want are the markets of these
  neighbors of our s that lie to the south of use.
  We want the 400,000,000 annually which today go
  to England, France, Germany, and other countries.
  With these markets, secure new life would be
  given to our manufacturies, the product of the
  Western farmer would be in demand, the reason for
  and inducements to strikers, with all their
  attendant evils, would cease.

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Empire, cont.

• Good Neighbor policy depended on peace and order
  in LA
• 1875 revolution in Venezuela
• US warned Europe not to intervene
• US navy would handle it and return power to
  American allies

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US Navy

• Beginning in 1883, US built up navy
• Started w/90 ships (30 wooden) soon became
  Great White Fleet
• Armor-plated steel battleships
• Naval War College established in RI (Capt. Alfred
  Thayer Mayan was early pres.)
• The Influence of Seapower Upon American History
• Defined American foreign policy
• Strength not just on open markets but on control
  of colonies
• Advocated annexation of bases in Carib and Pacific

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Annexation of Hawaii

• July 7, 1898
• Missionaries arrived in 1820s bought huge
  parcels of land and subverted feudal system of
  landholding
• Encouraged Amer. businesses to buy into sugar
  plantations by 1875, US corps dominated sugar
  trade
• Hawaiian sugar sent duty-free to US
• Blaine pushed for annexation

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Hawaii, cont.

• 1887 treaty allowed naval base at Pearl Harbor
• 1888 king overthrown by Amer planters and
  replace w/more friendly govt.
• 1891 Queen Liliuokalani asserted more power for
  monarchy
• US minister asked for military assistance
• 1893 US sailors landed in HA
• Liliuokalani deposed new provincial govt
  installed HA proclaimed Amer protectorate
• HA seen as stepping stone to Asian markets

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Open Door Policy

• 1896 NY bankers created American China
  Development Company to accelerate RR investment
  and trade
• The Pacific is the ocean bride of America Let
  us as American determine while yet in our power,
  that no commercial rival or hostile flag can
  float with impunity over the long swell of the
  Pacific sea
• Feared Manchu dynasty about to fall to Euro,
  Russian, and Japanese powers
• SoS John Hay proclaimed Open Door Policy US
  can advance commercial interests anywhere in the
  world on equal terms with other imperialist
  nations

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Open Door, cont.

• Nationalist rebellion in China threatened
  outsiders plans
• Harmonious Righteous Fists (Boxers) rioted in
  1898-99 killed thousands
• McKinley sent 5000 troops to help stop rebellion
• Hay sent second series of notes stating US
  intention to trade in China basis for 20th
  century foreign policy

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