GOVT 2305

1. GOVT 2305 Foreign Policy

2. Here is another of our occasional forays into public policy.In this case we will be looking at foreign policy and determine how the various governing and political actors impact out relations with foreign countries.

3. For general reading on the subject click on the following: Foreign Affairs: Foreign Policy.

4. The presidency – due to the nature of the constitutional powers it is granted - has greater discretion in foreign policy than in domestic policy.This was the point made in the two presidencies thesis. The president shares power with Congress over domestic policy. Whenever domestic policy is dominant, the presidency tend to be a bit weaker than if everyone is focused on a foreign crisis – especially a war.

5. Nevertheless, the other branches can weigh in on foreign policy questions, and each can influence it to some degree based on their functions. The legislature makes laws that establish the executive agencies that carry out foreign policy and provide guidelines for how they are implemented. They also provide oversee the actions of the executive branch. The Judiciary can rule on any constitutional questions that arise regarding the activities of the other two branches.

6. The Supreme Court’s 1936 decision in US v Curtis-Wright played a role in justifying an expansive view of the power of the executive branch to conduct foreign affairs.

7. For a more recent example of a challenge to the President’s Foreign Affairs Power click here.

8. If you want to know what the smart people have to say about this, here is an expansive look at the foreign policy roles of the President and Congress according to the State Department.It’s a good thorough look at the subject.

9. If you feel ambitious, here is a Yale Law Journal article: The Executive power over Foreign Affairs. And here is a briefer Harvard Law Journal article on the same subject.

10. To get a sense of the relationship that can exist among the branches, here is a rough, descriptive diagram regarding military and diplomatic powers:

12. But what is foreign policy?The diplomatic policy of a nation in its interactions with other nations.

13. More broadly, it can be defined as: “The foreign policy of the United States is the way in which it interacts with foreign nations and sets standards of interaction for its organizations, corporations and individual citizens.” – Wikipedia.

14. Foreign policy is multi faceted and can impact a variety of ways that nations interact. This can not only involve the official relations between the governments of different nations, but the private organizations within each country as well.It also involves the nation’s relationship with large international organizations.

15. These interactions cover a great number of separate policies.Each presents a unique challenge and has a different set of actors and institutions that impact them.

16. Policy ArenasDefenseDiplomacyTrade (legal and illegal)FinanceImmigrationEnvironmentalismetc . . .The list is exhaustive, and with technological changes – think of the World Wide Web - one could argue that very few policies established by any nation have little or no impact on others.

17. The actors, issues and goals in each of these arenas is distinct – we will review the bulk of these below.First a look at the goals of foreign policy.

18. The Lowi text argues that these are the principle – interrelated - goals of American foreign policy: SecurityProsperityCreation of a Better World

19. It is worth pointing out that not everyone shares these objectives. Ideological disputes exist over some of these, notably the later two. Is it the nation’s business that the world be “better” and how do we decide what “better” means? How involved in foreign policy ought we be?

20. And depending on how one defines “the creation of a better world” the liberal is more likely to support these efforts given their commitment to equality, especially when it comes to supporting poor countries, and increasingly in order to stop acts of genocide. The conservative is more likely to oppose these measures, or at least not prioritize them, unless they directly relate to the well being of the US.

21. Depending upon one’s definition of “prosperity” the free market conservative would want to pursue foreign relationships – and use the strength of government to facilitate it - in order to enhance business opportunities. The liberal would see this as exploitation.

22. The libertarian would argue that we should only be involved minimally, and these should focus strictly on security. Anything else is a purely individual decision made by whoever wishes to become involved.For examples, here are some of Ron Paul’s statements on foreign policy.

23. But some of the Federalist Papers argued that a stronger national government was necessary in order to more effectively manage foreign affairs. Papers #2 to #5 focused on this issue.

24. One of the points made was that a confederated government was unlikely to be able to establish a solid foreign policy, and disputes between the states could actually increase the likelihood that the nation would enter into international conflicts.

25. This explains the prohibitions that exist against the states having foreign policy powers. These are listed in Article One, Section Ten of the US Constitution.

26. It is commonly pointed out that Washington, in his Farewell Address (Wikipedia), argued that American should have “as little political connection as possible” with foreign nations and should avoid “permanent alliances.”

27. The need to have one consistent foreign policy was a driving force behind the Federalists desire to pass a stronger constitution. State driven foreign policy could be fatal to the preservation of the Republic. The states could split into different factions supporting strong relations with different countries.

28. 1 - Security

29. The United States exists in an often hostile world, and a variety of institutions have evolved to assist facing those threats effectively. Precisely defining the word “security” can be difficult however, and it can be controversial determining what in fact constitutes a threat, as well as determining how best to address that threat.

30. First, what constitutes a legitimate threat? And who gets to decide what nations and organizations are in fact threats? How are threats assessed? Also, what actions are and are not proper in order to respond to these threats? Who develops and implements them?

31. Take these three separate policies (the three D’s of foreign policy) that exist to deal with potential threats. DevelopmentDiplomacyDefense

32. Development: Some argue that security is best dealt with pro-actively by helping the nations of the world to build up per capita wealth and capital. This assumes that the nations that are most likely to become hostile to the US are relatively impoverished and totalitarian. This is the argument made in this U.S. Global Development Policy Fact Sheet.

33. This is based on the theory that economically developed nations with democratic governments rarely go to war with each other. The nations that the US has had military conflict with recently have been relatively poor and autocratic. Would that conflict have been avoided if the nations were wealthier and more democratic?

34. It is argued that no two countries with a McDonald’s have ever gone to war with each other, that’s not really true, but the point is well taken.Wealthy countries have more to lose from war, so they tend to find other ways to work out their disagreements.

35. The agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid is the United States Agency for International Development (Wikipedia) USAID, which is an independent federal agency that works under the guidance of the President, the Secretary of State and the National Security Council.

36. Here is a link to USAID’s Legislative Liaison Division.Click here for the Center for Global Development’s description of Congress’ role in development policy.

37. The following committees have congressional jurisdiction over development policy: House Foreign Affairs CommitteeSenate Foreign Affairs Committee

38. Those who seek to deal with security through development try to ensure that other countries share the same general attitudes that the US has. This is expected to minimize the degree of conflict that the US is likely to have with a foreign country.

39. If not there is always diplomacy.

40. Diplomacy: “The art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations.” Security can also be obtained – it is argued – with a healthy diplomatic corps backed with a professional foreign service.

41. As we know from previous slides, the first executive department established was the State Department. Generally, positions in the State Departments have been considered to be reserved for elites. This is true for the foreign service as well.

42. An example of these elites is The Wise Men, a group of six men – with elite East Coast backgrounds – that dominated foreign policy establishment from the 1940s – 1960s.

43. Worth perusing: American Diplomacy

44. There is an ongoing conflict between those who seek diplomatic solutions to security threats and those who seek military solutions.

45. “A diplomacy that ends in war has failed in its primary objective.” – Hans Morgenthau.For additional info, read Morgenthau’s Six Principles of Political Realism.

46. Which leads to defense, naturally.

47. “War is diplomacy by other means”. – Carl von Clausewitz.

48. Defense: If diplomacy fails, military actions are inevitable. As discussed previously the War Department was established soon after the State Department, and was reorganized in 1947 to establish the Defense Department. This was to ensure that the US would no longer simply respond to threats, but could deter them (deterrence) by having a sufficiently large military to resist attack.

49. Aside from having a peacetime military, the purpose of the Defense Department was intended to increase coordination between agencies that previously were detached and non-communicative. The reason the Pentagon was built was to create one place where these agencies could be housed. Previously they were spread all across DC.

50. The reorganization in 1947 also included the creation of what is now known as the intelligence community, which is composed of various intelligence gathering agencies, most notably the Central Intelligence Agency.