politics
январь 27, 2026
Doctrines, legality and legitimacy in the foreign policy of the United States
Three plausible hypotheses to understand how the United States acts in relation to its foreign policy:
TL;DR
- U.S. foreign policy actions are guided by doctrines, which provide strategic principles and continuity.
- Doctrines can be presidential or stem from religious ideologies, such as 'manifest destiny'.
- Corollaries are practical applications or corrections of doctrines.
- Key doctrines include Monroe, Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush, each with specific objectives and examples of application.
- Manifest Destiny is a providential doctrine based on American exceptionalism, a redemptive mission, and divine destiny.
- Analyzing U.S. foreign policy requires considering multiple doctrines, domestic legality, and public opinion.
- The article questions whether a new doctrine is needed for the U.S. as a global empire.