Entry
Entries A-Z
Subject index
Isolationism
Isolationism, a long-standing strain of U.S. political thought, has traditionally been defined as a refusal to participate in wars outside the Western Hemisphere, particularly in Europe; an opposition to binding military alliances; and lack of participation in organizations of collective security. Above all, the “isolationist” desires to maintain the United States’ autonomy, a freedom of action unhindered by the policies of allies. Such people often differ from pacifists, those who would renounce any war and withhold backing for any conflict. Proponents of the isolationist position usually reject the label, finding it derogatory. As most isolationists oppose “isolating” the United States from either the world’s culture or its commerce, they have long preferred such terms as “neutralist,” “nationalist,” “noninterventionist,” or “anti-interventionist.”
Isolationism centers on the belief that ...
- Loading...