SOURCES OF THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STYLE 2
Over the years, the United States has employed various foreign policy strategies
embracing the concept of American Exceptionalism in its global role. Instead of seeking power
at the cost of other nations, the United States has aimed to set a positive example internationally.
Hastedt states that national style “is used to capture the way in which the ideas and experiences
from the past shape current policy making” (Hastedt, 2020, p. 57). The founding fathers of
America sought to create a new order for the ages. American national style can be expressed in
three broader behavior patterns- unilateralism, moral pragmatism, and legalism (“American
National Style & the American Past,” 2019). A focus on the American national style and how it
has shaped America’s role in the world is foundational to understanding the United State’s
foreign policy in the past and in the present.
Explanation of American National Style in Foreign Policy Assessment of Overall Features
“National style is determined by many heterogeneous elements, among them cultural,
intellectual, political, constitutional, and diplomatic history; political sociology and economy;
social psychology; and geography” (Krakau, 1984). In order to better understand the American
natural style, it is important to look back at the circumstances and conditions that helped shape
the country into the nation it is today. “Individual self-reliance, flexibility, and improvisation
were the cardinal virtues in developing America. Guided by these principles, the United States
has become a ‘how-to-do-it’ society, with energies that are largely directed to the problem at
hand with long-range concerns that receive scant attention” (Hastedt, 2020, p. 58).
SOURCES OF THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STYLE 3
Along with individual self-reliance, flexibility, and improvisation; the power of
democracy also influenced America’s political thought. John Locke, a philosopher and political
theorist argued that people are rational beings and capable of determining their own best
interests. He goes on to say that a government that governed the least is the best due to the fact
that exercise of power would lead to abuse and corruption (Hastedt, 2020, p. 58). The work of
John Locke has been deemed to be the most important to the development of the ideas that have
guided policy makers in the U.S.
Religion has also had an influence on American foreign policy. Though the U.S. practices
the idea of separation between church and state, Hastedt highlighted components of the country’s
religious framework. “First is the idea of America as God's ‘chosen nation.’ Second is the idea
that America has a special mission or calling to transform the world. Third, in carrying out this
mission, the United States is engaging in a struggle against evil. Finally, it is an apocalyptic
outlook on world affairs” (Hastedt, 2020, p. 58-59). These components set the beliefs and
attributes of American Culture.
Assessment of Overall Features
The idea of an American national style is derivative from the idea of American strategic
culture, suggesting that there is a distinctively American way in strategic matters (Gray, 1981).
There are three distinct patterns that provide the basis for the American style:
SOURCES OF THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STYLE 4
Unilateralism is a predisposition to act alone in addressing foreign policy problems
(Hastedt, 2020, p.59). This concept is opposite from multilateralism, which is the cooperation
amongst three or more countries. It entails countries getting together and trying to find
cooperative solutions to common problems (Patrick, 2021). Hastedt states that unilateralism
reflects American sense of exceptionalism and is often perceived by others to be an insensitive
and egotistic nationalism. A prominent example of unilateralism is the Monroe Doctrine
(Hastedt, 2020, p. 60). The Doctrine explicitly stated that America was off limits to European
intervention in the Western hemisphere and will not engage in European affairs in return.
America’s unilateralism has not stopped, President George W. Bush let the world know that
America will be acting unilaterally against terrorism (Hastedt, 2020, p. 61). In recent political
instances, unilateralism can be seen ins Trump’s -America First/Make America Great Again-
approach to policy and his disdain for working through alliances and international organizations
(i.e. NATO).
Moral pragmatism consists of two elements of morality. “The first is that state behavior
can be judged by moral standards and the second is that American behavior can be judged by
moral standards (Hastedt, 2020, p. 61). This concept implies that the United States sets the
standards for moral judgements on the world stage because “American actions are taken to be
morally correct and justifiable” (Hastedt, 2020, p. 61). American pragmatism takes the form of
an engineering approach to foreign policy problem solving. The United States’ preferred method
for finding a solution is to break the problem down into smaller ones. An example of moral
pragmatism is the 1930 neutrality policy that barred the United States from arming any side in a
SOURCES OF THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STYLE 5
conflict. Although this policy was straightforward to implement, it overlooked the complexity of
international politics (Hastedt, 2020).
The last of the three patterns is Legalism. In relation to U.S. foreign policy, legalism
refers to the rejection of the balance of power as a means of preserving national security. Thus “a
central task of U.S. foreign policy, therefore, is to create a global system of institutions and rules
that allow states to settle their disputes without recourse of war” (Hastedt, 2020, p. 63). The U.S.
believes in not having one strong country acting in opposition to weaker countries. U.S. foreign
policy has played a significant role in how international institutions resolve disputes peacefully,
without the need for war by participating in the United Nations, NATO, and the World Bank.
These organizations cooperate to address international issues and uphold global peace and order.
Has American National Style in Foreign Policy Helped Policymakers Learn From the Past?
The American natural style in foreign policy has had mixed results in helping policy
makers learn from the past. Hastedt discusses how the American style often leads to a cyclical
pattern of isolationism and internationalism in international affairs. For example, the idealistic
drive to promote democracy in other nations can result in interventions, i.e. Vietnam and Iraq,
that overlook local contexts and lead to periods of disappointment with the government (Hastedt,
2020). Policymakers sometimes repeat past mistakes due to strong influences of established
national values and public opinion, which can overshadow assessments of previous foreign
policy outcomes (Hastedt, 2020). While there are instances of learning from the past happening,
“history suggests remarkably little learning from the past takes place” (Hastedt, 2020, p. 77).
SOURCES OF THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STYLE 6
Is American Approach to Foreign Policy Compatible with the Christian WorldView?
The American approach to foreign policy is compatible with the Christian worldview to a
certain extent. Christian principles emphasize peace, compassion, and justice, which can align
with the diplomatic efforts and humanitarian aid that the U.S. provides to other countries in
need-focusing on internationalism. We can not turn a blind eye on events happening throughout
the world because these events inevitably affect U.S. interests (Hastedt, 2020, p. 56). However,
aspects of American foreign policy, such as military and the prioritization of national interests,
can conflict with the Christian ideals of loving thy neighbor as stated in Leviticus 19:9-18. There
are times when the American approach to foreign policy focuses more on isolationism, or
maintaining a healthy sense of detachment from events elsewhere in the world (Hastedt, 2020, p.
56). The ethical implications of these policies can vary among individuals, which can lead to a
diverse perspective on whether the American approach to foreign policy is truly compatible with
the Christian worldview.
Conclusion
The United States has largely leaned on the principle of American exceptionalism in
regards to its role in international spaces. The American national style has made the country a
force to be reckoned with. The United States continues to be a global force in foreign policy by
cooperating with other nations, establishing effective conflict resolutions, and participating in
international institutions.
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American National Style & the American Past. (2019). [Video]. In Liberty University.
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/625292/pages/watch-american-national-style-and-the-
american-past?module_item_id=70996520
Gray, C. S. (1981). National Style in Strategy: The American Example. International
Security, 6(2), 21. https://doi.org/10.2307/2538645
Hastedt, G. P. (2020). American Foreign Policy : Past, Present, and Future. Rowman &
Littlefield Publishers.
Krakau, K. (1984). American Foreign Relations: A National Style? Diplomatic History,
8(3), 253–272. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44363862
Patrick, S. (2021). Multilateralism [Video]. In Liberty University.
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/625292/pages/watch-multilateralism?
module_item_id=70996527
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