United States Foreign Policy

United States Foreign Policy

Introduction

Foreign policy is the way in which a country interacts and maintains relationship with other countries. It then establishes standards of interaction for its organizations and individual citizens. The foreign policy is synonymous to how an individual person interacts socially with other people. In the context of United States, it is the Secretary of State who conducts the duties of foreign minister. The Secretary of State is responsible officially with diplomacy among the different states. However, the President of United States has the final authority over the conduct and execution of foreign policy. The formulation of foreign policy includes definition and identification of the national interests. The current Secretary of State of United States is ex-presidential candidate John Kerry.

Discussion

Over the course of time, the foreign policy of United States has seen many changes as per the circumstances and international affairs. It has embraced many different and diverse foreign policies. Although it has varied from time to time, but they can be broadly categorized into two different and contrast schools of thought. These are interventionism and isolationism.

Isolationism

Isolationism approach is the conduct of foreign policy is such a way that United States would not take any actions in terms of interference or alteration of the social or political environment of other countries (Lawson, 2012). This approach advocates that the United States would not have any involvement with other country unless required for the defense of the United States borders. This policy proposes that United States should be self-sufficient and indifferent with the rest of the world. This concept is based on pure foundations of neutrality and impartiality in the context of free trade conduct around the world. The theory later developed into the one that stood for complete disengagement of United States from the world arena, and believing in staying and standing alone. This theory is largely based on fear that the involvement with the rest of the world's country would damage the American way of life.

Interventionism

The other extreme of foreign policy for the United States is based on the concept of interventionism. This approach is based on the principle that United States should directly intervene in the affairs of other countries. It is due to the fact that United States considers itself to have the most decent, civilized and proper way of living and governance. Hence, it should take measures to ensure that other nations are also guided in the same direction. This theory of interventionism is largely taken from the ethnocentric idea (John Baylis, Steve Smith, et al, 2011). This states that other countries are not capable and up to the mark to handle their state of affairs, or more commonly regarded as being irresponsible and rogue.

These are the two different extremes of approach towards the foreign policies and both have their advantages and disadvantages. However, The United States would not be compatible in international relations conduct if it intervenes into every aspect of the affairs of other countries, or if it remains ...