Idea · carried by 1 source
Four Schools of American Foreign Policy
Walter Russell Mead's taxonomy from *Special Providence* identifying four recurring factions in American foreign policy debates: Hamiltonian, Wilsonian, Jeffersonian, and Jacksonian. He argues these “four suits in a deck of cards” have been fighting each other since the 1790s, and most Americans hold a mixed hand.
Where it comes from
Mead developed this framework in his book Special Providence (published around 9/11) and explains it to Patrick O'Shaughnessy on Invest Like the Best (highlights/walter-russell-mead-world-order). He notes that “our foreign policy arguments are very repetitive” — we argue about the same things in the same ways they would have in George Washington's day.
How it works
- Strong capitalist economy trading effectively with the world
- Government promotes infrastructure and helps major American companies succeed internationally
- Provides the money, technology, and economic strength that holds society together
- Representative: George H.W. Bush
- “Human rights! What about human rights?”
- Bad governance causes threats — dictatorships go to war, democracies don't
- Promote democracy globally, strengthen international institutions
- Get rid of war by getting rid of the causes of war
- America's greatness is personal liberty and limited government
- Both Wilsonian crusades and Hamiltonian great-power politics create powerful governments with secrets, colossal defense budgets, and endless wars
- “We can conquer the world and lose our freedom at home”
- Foreigners can be democratic, I don't really care — as long as they don't attack us or impugn our honor
- If attacked, go out and crush them; no laws of war, exterminate the enemy
- “The last thing they should ever do is raise their hand against the United States”
- In peace, they look like Jeffersonians; after Pearl Harbor or 9/11, they activate
Every American has a mixed hand of these four “suits,” but some suits are stronger than others. The debate between them has been essentially unchanged since the founding — and understanding which suit dominates explains most American foreign policy behavior.