Primacy Unrequited: American Grand Strategy Under Wilson

Abstract

This chapter demonstrates that the development of the Wilsonian political culture of statecraft overlay three core beliefs or assumptions—the immutability of morality and principles; belief in the capacity and right of people to self-government; and belief in the unique mission of the United States to promote liberty at home and abroad—onto those of the preceding era of “progressive imperialism”. Understood in this context, Wilson’s “crusade” to “make the world safe for democracy” during the First World War constituted a logical evolution of the leitmotifs of “progressive imperialism” in the context of heightened American power. Especially noteworthy here was that Wilson’s objective of reforming international order would, if successful, overcome the long-standing exemplarist taboos against “entanglement” with European power politics. His envisioned “league of peace” after the war would not be based on an alliance of some states against others but rather on American leadership of a “universal cooperative” effort to preserve order. Wilson’s solution to insecurity of international politics was thus distinctly primacist in nature as it sought to overcome the “evils” of traditional great power politics through the imposition of American values and principles.