Does world opinion affect foreign policy? (1 Viewer)

[saggyjones]

Does what other countries think of us affect foreign policy? Machiavelli and I say yes. Topsez says no. What do you think?

 

[liberateamerica]

Foreign policy in general? Or American foreign policy? Because they're 2 totally different creatures. American foreign policy makes very few concessions to what other countries want, but foreign policy in general (around the world) does let world opinion affect it. That was badly phrased. In other words, US foreign policy - pretty much no. International foreign policy in general - yes.

 

[Kandahar]

Of course it does. I've never understood the people who say "**** the rest of the world, we'll do what's in our own national interest." They ignore the fact that 99% of the time, it's in our national interest to not have the entire world pissed off at us.

 

[saggyjones]

Foreign policy in general? Or American foreign policy? Because they're 2 totally different creatures. American foreign policy makes very few concessions to what other countries want, but foreign policy in general (around the world) does let world opinion affect it. That was badly phrased. In other words, US foreign policy - pretty much no. International foreign policy in general - yes.

I should have clarified. Here's my updated question:

Should the rest of the world's opinion of a country affect that country's foreign policy?

 

[saggyjones]

Of course it does. I've never understood the people who say "**** the rest of the world, we'll do what's in our own national interest." They ignore the fact that 99% of the time, it's in our national interest to not have the entire world pissed off at us.

"Nothing happens in a vacuum", as an old teacher of mine said. Those people you mention don't understand this concept.

 

[Trajan Octavian Titus]

All nations states are simply actors on the global stage and will always act in their own self interests, and it is always the hegemon that takes the heat because they are the most convenient scape goat. The fact of the matter is that we're a damned if we don't damned if we do Nation IE if we engage in interventionalist wars we are accused of imperialism and if we don't engage in interventionalist wars we are accused of condoning tyranny.

 

[Mr.Clover]

Of course it does! You always nuke the people who hate you the most first, and then the others that like you last.

 

[tryreading]

Does what other countries think of us affect foreign policy? Machiavelli and I say yes. Topsez says no. What do you think?

Of course. Cowboy diplomacy has proved to be a failure. We need allies, and if the general world opinion of us is negative, and other countries feel that we do whatever we want, its hard to find the support we need.

Having said that, at a time of true danger to our country, ultimately we must do what we have to do.

 

[saggyjones]

No one's disagreed yet, that's a good sign.

 

[Stupiderthanthou]

Si, si.

Of course it does; since people elsewhere in some sense control the events in any given place, their opinions are of course going to be factored into the calculations of the people in that place. Simple enough. Even deeply stupid leaders do it without thinking; it's just, I think, that some of the decisions they make, the ones most greatly dependent on international opinion, are so blindingly obvious that people don't regard them as decisions at all.

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

Though philosphically I am an isolationalist, in practice, that philosophy is unrealistic. No country lives in a vacuum; just as on a smaller scale, what each of us do affects others, so does what each country does affects other countries. Therefore, yes.