How Accurate is it to say that the most significant impact on US politics, 1917-60, was a commitment to
isolationism?
Intro:
P1: Isolationism
- Isolationism most significantly seen in 1920s (Dillingham 1911, early immigration – 1.2mil 1907, First
Red Scare (1919-21), unemployment (950,000 – 5,010,000 1919-21)
- Impact on politics
o Economic action: Tariffs (Fodney McCumber), encourage ‘buying American’
o Immigration: 1921 Emergency Quota Act (shift to nativism), 1954 ‘Operation Wetback’ –
impacted public views
o Foreign Policy: not joining League of Nations, not setting up colonies, 1935-39 congress
neutrality acts
- However…
o ‘Laissez-faire’ government in 1920s – limited domestic policy, limited impact of isolationism
o Immigration views & action shifted through presidents, other factors impacted immigration
policy more (e.g. Economy – 400,000 deported during Great Depression)
o Impact of war outweighed Congress neutrality acts as USA went to war multiple times in
period regardless
o Isolationism didn’t last throughout period – temporary effect on politics, not sustained
P2: Impact of War
- Cold War
o Gov took more hard-line approach to communism, shifted public views
1949 ‘China Lobby’, 1950 Committee on the Present Danger
o Increased power of president to act without congress permanently changed politics
1948 Berlin airlift (trend continued, 1961 Kennedy bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba)
CIA & National security council set up (reported to White House, not congress)
- However…
o Although impacted domestic policy to an extent (e.g. WW2 economic boom changed
economic policies, continued wartime subsidies, etc.) – this impact was short-term
o Therefore, overall had greatest impact on foreign politics
P3: Roosevelt & his New Deal
- Changed politics – increased role of president in working with media
o ‘fireside chats’, ‘off the record meetings’
o Media became more critical towards end of period
- Increased role of president in welfare
o New deal: 1932, NRA, AAA, ‘Alphabet Agencies’
o Shift away from laissez-faire republicanism
o Truman ‘Fair Deal’, Kennedy ‘New Frontier’
- Increased size of white house
- However…
o Didn’t impact foreign policy greatly, though had biggest impact on domestic policy
- Sustained change (trend continued under later presidents)
isolationism?
Intro:
P1: Isolationism
- Isolationism most significantly seen in 1920s (Dillingham 1911, early immigration – 1.2mil 1907, First
Red Scare (1919-21), unemployment (950,000 – 5,010,000 1919-21)
- Impact on politics
o Economic action: Tariffs (Fodney McCumber), encourage ‘buying American’
o Immigration: 1921 Emergency Quota Act (shift to nativism), 1954 ‘Operation Wetback’ –
impacted public views
o Foreign Policy: not joining League of Nations, not setting up colonies, 1935-39 congress
neutrality acts
- However…
o ‘Laissez-faire’ government in 1920s – limited domestic policy, limited impact of isolationism
o Immigration views & action shifted through presidents, other factors impacted immigration
policy more (e.g. Economy – 400,000 deported during Great Depression)
o Impact of war outweighed Congress neutrality acts as USA went to war multiple times in
period regardless
o Isolationism didn’t last throughout period – temporary effect on politics, not sustained
P2: Impact of War
- Cold War
o Gov took more hard-line approach to communism, shifted public views
1949 ‘China Lobby’, 1950 Committee on the Present Danger
o Increased power of president to act without congress permanently changed politics
1948 Berlin airlift (trend continued, 1961 Kennedy bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba)
CIA & National security council set up (reported to White House, not congress)
- However…
o Although impacted domestic policy to an extent (e.g. WW2 economic boom changed
economic policies, continued wartime subsidies, etc.) – this impact was short-term
o Therefore, overall had greatest impact on foreign politics
P3: Roosevelt & his New Deal
- Changed politics – increased role of president in working with media
o ‘fireside chats’, ‘off the record meetings’
o Media became more critical towards end of period
- Increased role of president in welfare
o New deal: 1932, NRA, AAA, ‘Alphabet Agencies’
o Shift away from laissez-faire republicanism
o Truman ‘Fair Deal’, Kennedy ‘New Frontier’
- Increased size of white house
- However…
o Didn’t impact foreign policy greatly, though had biggest impact on domestic policy
- Sustained change (trend continued under later presidents)
