Creating the American Century: The Ideas and Legacies of America's Twentieth-Century Foreign Policy Founders

Description

In his last work before his death in 2014, American historian Martin J. Sklar analyzes the influence of early twentieth-century foreign policy makers, focusing on modernization, global development, and the meaning of the 'American Century'. Calling this group of government officials and their advisors, including business leaders and economists, the 'founders of US foreign policy', Sklar examines their perspective on America's role in shaping human progress from cycles of empires to transnational post-imperialism. Sklar traces how this thinking both anticipated and generated the course of history from the Spanish-American War to World War II, through the Cold War and its outcome, and to post-9/11 global conflicts. The 'founders' legacy is interpreted in Wilson's Fourteen Points, Henry Luce's 1941 'American Century' Life editorial, and foreign policy formulation to the present. Showing how modernization has evolved, Sklar discusses capitalism and socialism in relation to modern democracy in the US and to emergent globalizing forces. Cover Half Title Title page Imprints page Five Secretaries of State, 2005–1902: Back to the Future Contents Acknowledgments Prelude: American Century and World Revolution Part One. Origins Chapter 1 The Philippines, China, and US Global Objectives (The Setting the Stage) Setting the Stage The McKinley–Root Framework of Development Conant’s Appointment Conant’s Mission Conant’s Report: Developmental Capitalist Imperialism Testifying Congress Disposes US Philippine Policy and Global Objectives Conclusion: Origins of an “American Century” Chapter 2 A Panel at the AEA Brooks Adams Discussants Conant Part Two. The Founders’ American Century: The Tale Once-Told Chapter 3 World History: Evolving Cycles of Empires Chapter 4 US History: In the Evolving Cycle Chapter 5 Twentieth-Century World Politics and the US Role: Moving Beyond the Cycle to Universal Evolution Part Three. History’s American Century: The Tale Twice-Told Chapter 6 1898 to 1941: American Century – Birth and Awkward Youth Chapter 7 World War and Cold War: American Century – Young Adulthood Chapter 8 Post-Cold War and 9/11: American Century Arrived Chapter 9 American Century Fulfilled and Revoked, or Nullified: From Empires to a Universal Humanity? Or, Cycles Forever? Part Four. Bringing History Back In Chapter 10 History in the US the US in History I II III IV V VI VII VIII Distortion 1. The Idea of the Left (and Right) IX (Distortion 1. The Idea of the Left – continued) X Distortion 2. Transvestiture of Left and Right XI Distortion 3. An Ahistorical Syndrome Regarding the US in the Twentieth Century XII (Distortion 3. Ahistorical Syndrome – continued) XIII US and World History in the Twenty-First Century: Cyclical or Cumulative? Index