Critical thinking
Thomas Jefferson remains in history as one of the cornerstones of America's foreign policy. Often forced to strike a balance between the threats of war and alliance, he tended to believe more in non-interference (Hayes, 36). He probably never anticipated the great role foreign policy would play during his presidency given that he never alluded to it in his inaugural speech as president. Loved as much at it is loathed, his foreign policy must be looked at objectively
Criticisms of his foreign policy from his successors and the public often have the advantage of retrospect yet for Jefferson; international relations were an unchartered territory for the young nation. It would be interesting to have a view of how America would be without half the landmass that Louisiana added to it. Further questions arise on whether, as a result of his clamor for expansion, America would have gone to war had Napoleon refused to sell Louisiana to it.
His foreign policy despite being that of non-interference smacked of a nation that had from the onset had the mentality of playing big brother to the rest of world especially with the imposition of the embargo on Europe. Jefferson had the perception that America's influence was so conspicuous that it would force Europe into a truce. It would be interesting to evaluate on whether the same attitude led the U.S to be the de facto superpower of the world.
2. Communication skills (arguments from a historical perspective)
He encountered his first foreign policy huddle in 1801 following the confrontation with the Barbary pirates of North Africa along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea who demanded excessive protection fees from the U.S government in exchange for the safe passage of the country's merchant ships which he refuses to pay (Hayes, 65). He is forced to send the navy to attack the Pasha of Tripoli. The attack is preceded by successful negotiations with Morocco and Tunisia demonstrating his ability to combine soft and hard power in his foreign affairs interventions.
The purchase of Louisiana in 1803 from France marked one of his most critical successes in foreign policy (Hayes, 59). Buoyed by the need to have access to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River, his administration took the decision to purchase it. It doubled the size of the U.S. The purchase would ensure that American grain and livestock farmers had a means to transport their produce to not only to domestic markets but also to Europe
Soon after the Louisiana Purchase, Great Britain declared war on France in 1803. The war initially benefited U.S trade, as its merchant ships were used to transport supplies to both sides of the fighting factions. The business of the re-export of both French and British goods rose. It was made possible by America's neutrality stance enshrined in its foreign policy. The relationship would, however, change in the years after the war began. Both France and Britain banned trade with each other regardless of the origin of the goods, thus effectively putting an end to America's re-export business. Altercations on the sea between the U.S and the British naval forces in 1807 made the U.S place an embargo on Europe which ended up being a failure (Tucker).
The desire to expand U.S territory led to Jefferson expressing interest in purchasing West Florida from Spain. The dynamics of European politics, however, made Spain adamant to sell West Florida to the U.S. Jefferson refused to recognize Haiti as a republic to use it as leverage against Napoleon for he believed it would make him implore on Spain to sell Florida to the U.S. His plan, however, failed.
3. Social responsibility
The series of foreign affairs actions during Jefferson's presidency had numerous economic, social, political, and historical consequences in the U.S. The purchase of Louisiana allowed the nation's landmass to be doubled opening up new trade routes for American farmers through the Mississippi River (Hayes, 76). The embargo caused considerable economic havoc especially to the people of New England who were the main dependents of the cross-continental mercantile trade.
His deployment of the U.S Navy to the Mediterranean marked the first time the country sent its troops outside the nation (Hayes, 99). It also marked a significant departure from the past where standing armies were not embraced. The practice of having a standby military continues to this day and has its origins from his era after he established the WestPoint military academy. The failure of the neutrality stand during the British-French war made the country move away from its non-interference policy and ushered the nation into the era of global wars which it has consistently intervened even in the recent history of the first and second world wars.
His administration's foreign policy stand on Haiti became inconsistent with the principals of the nation's founding fathers, and it ultimately did not succeed perhaps as a testament that foreign policy should also be in sync with the wishes of the people for self-rule.
4. Personal responsibility
Jefferson's foreign policy victories emphasized his stand as a peace crusader especially the Louisiana Purchase for which he was eager to avoid war by purchasing it rather than an outright war to annex it. The attack on the Pasha of Libya proved his decisiveness. However, his non-interference stance while plausible often painted him as weak for he tended to make bold decisions when it was already late. Furthermore, he was often willing to sacrifice the principles on which he was elected on to satisfy his desire for an expanded nation especially after his failure to give his backing to the people led Haitian revolution.
Overall, his foreign policy when looked at objectively helped form the nation as it is today not only geographically but also its role and influence on the global arena. Furthermore, it is the precedents set by his administration such as the foreign military deployments that have led to the U.S becoming the most powerful nation on earth.
Works Cited
Hayes, Kelvin. The Road to Monticello: The Life and Mind of Thomas Jefferson. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. (2008). Print.
Tucker, Robert W. "Thomas Jefferson and American Foreign Policy." Foreign affairs. 2010. 22 Feb. 2016. <https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/1990-03-01/thomas-jefferson-and- american-foreign-policy>.
