audiobook Dangerous Nation: America's Foreign Policy from Its Earliest Days to the Dawn of the Twentieth Century by Robert Kagan in History

Review

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Sweeping; Iconoclastic History of American Foreign PolicyBy Joshua RosenblumSweeping; Iconoclastic History of American Foreign PolicyIn "Dangerous Nation;" historian Robert Kagan delivers up a sweeping; and somewhat iconoclastic; history of American foreign policy from before the Founding right up to the outbreak of the Spanish American War. (This is the first; in a two-volume set. The second volume presumably covering the Spanish American War to the present day.)Many histories of U.S. Foreign policy have been written. Where Kagan does an invaluable service is in providing contrary evidence to the now standard claim that the United States was; for the first 150 years; an essentially isolationist nation removed from world affairs. This was never the case; unless one were to conclude that America's interactions with European nations and new Latin American republics during our continental expansion were somehow "domestic" policy.Kagan also does an excellent job of demolishing the myth that idealism in U.S. Foreign policy is some sort of new idea that began with the neo-conservative "takeover" of the Bush administration. In fact; for good or for ill; U.S. foreign policy has always been largely; perhaps even primarily motivated by concern for the spread of our republican political system and the universalist principles concerning Liberty set forth in the Declaration of Independence. This often came at the expense of more prosaic concerns to the chagrin and utter confusion of the European powers with which we dueled throughout the 19th century. Kagan maintains that the driving force behind much of U.S. foreign policy throughout the early to mid-19th century was concerned with checking the forces of reaction in Europe; as absolutist monarchs; horrified by the spread of republicanism; consolidated their power and sought to expand their influence in the new world.To the extent that the U.S. did maintain a hands off approach to foreign policy in the early to mid 19th century; Kagan argues this was largely due to the domestic political question of slavery. It has become fashionable for the public to dismiss slavery as a secondary cause of the civil war in favor of other material issues (northern desire to economically dominate the south; federalism/state's rights; etc.) Nothing could be farther from the case. Throughout the 19th century; slavery was *the* dominant issue leading up to the Civil War. Kagan provides important insight into how the slavery question deformed every important political decision during that time period; both in foreign and domestic policy. To some extent; the U.S. did curtail its pursuit of the expansion of the "American System" because the dominant political culture of the South feared a stronger federal government that could limit and eventually abolish slavery.Although the South did favor expansion into the Caribbean or Mexico in order to create a "slave empire;" for the most part; Southern fears of the "American System" (in which; they realized; lay the seeds of the destruction of their way of life) worked to block any move away from the status quo. Northerners blocked expansion into Cuba and Santa Domingo because they feared the expansion of slavery. Southerners blocked settlement on the issues of Oregon; California and the Nebraska territories for the opposite reasons. Texas became an independent republic; not because they didn't want to join the Union; but rather because the Union couldn't figure out how to assimilate it. Settlement of even the original Louisiana purchase was fraught with peril because every question that arose had to answered in the light of the one issue no one could solve.For the insights on the slavery issue alone and how it deformed American politics from 1820 to 1860; "Dangerous Nation" is worth reading. But more so readers will enjoy the large scope of Kagan's work and; more importantly; gain a critical understanding of just how Americans' view of themselves in the world (as the main proponents of republicanism and Liberty; the "...last; best hope of Man.") has influenced our relations with the outside world from the very beginning of the Republic.7 of 9 people found the following review helpful. A very different review of U.S. foreign policyBy Shawn S. SullivanDangerous Nation; by Robert Kagan; has a brilliant premise; namely that; rightly or wrongly; the United States has always had an expansionist policy - in spite of our own belief that we are essentially isolationists; or even have been so at times. Kagan sums it up best. "Americans have cherished an image of themselves as by nature inward-looking and aloof; only sporadically and spasmodically venturing forth into the world. This self image survives; despite four hundred years of steady expansion and an every-deepening involvement in world affairs; and despite innumerable wars; interventions; and prolonged fate. Even as the United States has risen to a position of global hegemony; expanding its reach and purview and involvement across the continent and then across the oceans; Americans still believe their nation's natural tendencies are toward passivity; indifference; and insularity. (But Americans) have not anticipated; therefore; the way their natural expansiveness could provoke reactions; and sometimes violent reactions; against them."Kagan makes some great points about U.S. expansion despite our national belief of the opposite. His writing in this volume (which ends at the Spanish-American War; with a second to follow on the 20th Century) is erudite. Often; however; the reader is led astray and wonders where the author is going - and the answer is really nowhere; simply making sometimes quite long winded comments that are off message. In essence; Kagan is a brilliant thinker; has a very sustainable premise but is only an adequate writer. A book for those highly interested in a fairly radical view of American foreign policy; over a long period of time.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. spellbindingBy Robert W. SmithRobert Kagan's book; "Dangerous Nation" is a superbly written re-interpretation of American (Foreign) Policy from the earliest days of our colonial mindset through the 20th century. I found this to be a true page turner. Kagan appears to back up his revisionist tendencies with facts of the day. Certainly; Kagan has had the benefit of 100 + years of history from which he was able to use to reformulate much of American foreign policy history; most accurately and with astute clarity. I cannot wait for Kagan to write a second book on US foreign policy during the 20th century and; perhaps even a third book looking at the first 15 years of the 21st century. Trained as a journalist; he writes in a superb style. It is full of mesmerizing detail. If I were to change things about the book; I would - include a chapter on the development of thought (e.g.; Locke; Hume; Magna Charta; British revolution of 1689 that contributed to the empowering of individualistic tendencies of Americans in the 18th century and beyond; I'd focus in greater detail on the events to which the USA responded / intervened with perspectives of other individuals and nations; while slavery clearly shaped foreign policies tremendously; the focus ought to have always been kept on the effects of it upon US foreign policies - he gets a little tangential on this topic which; in itself; merits scores of books to be written about it properly). Once in a while; Kagan seems to ramble. In a book in which he presents probably 16;000 different facts or thoughts; I found about 10 repetitions and very few minor errors. Overall; this is an outstanding book that comes highly recommended. I give Kagan an A+ for this work; reserved for only the finest books that I've read!