Question

Evaluate the US foreign policy intern's insistence that the United States conform to George Washington's advice given in his 1796 Farewell Address about relations with foreign countries. How would you describe the obstacles the United States faces in maintaining Washington's advice? Include examples of times when the United States has departed from Washington's advice and why.

Answer 1

The United States has had several issues in following Washington's advice in his Farewell Address. For example, avoiding the creation of political parties is one piece of advice that we ignored. Avoiding political parties would be an extremely difficult task. Political parties give individuals the ability to work with other citizens who share a similar set of core beliefs and values. When several individuals feel strongly about a subject, it is common for them to create an organization or affiliation geared towards that goal.

Avoiding permanent foreign alliances is also a difficult task in today's world. There are several different organizations that revolve around foreign alliances that are critical to the safety of the world (example: United Nations). These alliances allow benefit the US economy, as it allows for trade that benefits the American consumer.

Answer 2

Answers will vary. Your answer might mention the War of 1812 and the pressures that drove US involvement in it as well as other military conflicts the nation has had with other nations. You might also note some of the differences between the United States during and after Washington's time. For example, expansion to the west increased the very dimensions of the nation and required many types of less-than-ideal interactions with Native Americans and immigrants from a variety of countries, which may have caused Americans to feel less humble than Washington about their place in the world. Also, changes in technology and telecommunications have put the United States in a very different position than when it was largely agricultural (versus industrial) and the means of communication today makes the world seem so much smaller. And finally, you might mention that President Washington was highly idealistic in his advice that the nation should not form parties, given that it did so with gusto after his presidency.