lpetrich
Contributor
Arthur Schlesinger Jr. in Cycles of American History:
Peter Beinart - The Isolation Pendulum
H-Net Reviews - Klingberg's book Positive Expectations of America's World Role: Historical Cycles of Realistic Idealism
The dates are approximate.
Most big US wars and US territorial acquisitions have happened in extroverted eras. However, conquest of First Nations people was in both extroverted and introverted eras. But that happened mostly inside of territory claimed by the US in its dealings with other big nations. Nations like Britain, France, Spain, Mexico, and Russia. If the Cahokian society had survived, then Cahokia may have been worth including among them.
With the Iraq War ended and the Afghanistan War winding down, the US seems like it's entering another introverted era.
What makes this cycle happen is likely something internal, and independent of what makes the liberal-conservative cycle happen. But they are nevertheless connected:
As with liberal and conservative eras, extroverted and introverted eras are likely self-limiting. Extroverted eras likely end by burnout by big wars: the 1812 War, the Civil War, World War I, and the Vietnam War. The current one will likely end the same way. Introverted eras at least sometimes end from lack of response to challenges from other nations. An obvious one is the early 20th cy. one, where the US was up against Germany and Japan. FDR got a military buildup going and send a lot of aid to Britain, over the objections of the "America First" movement. But Japan's attack of Pearl Harbor shut up the America Firsters.
(Page 7 of 56) - Long-Term US Foreign Policy Moods and Involvement in System Wars: Is There Any Way to Reduce the Odds? authored by Lawrence, Colin., Holmes, Jack., Johnson, Lauren. and Aardema, Sara.A cyclical rhythm exists in foreign policy as well. Over thirty years ago Frank L. Klingberg analyzed what he called “the historical alternation of moods in American foreign policy.” He uncovered a periodic swing between “extroversion”— a readiness to use direct diplomatic, military or economic pressure on other nations to gain American ends— and “introversion”— a concentration on concerns of the national community. Examining wars, annexations, armed expeditions, naval expenditures, presidential statements and party platforms, Klingberg in 1952 identified seven alternations since 1776 ...
Peter Beinart - The Isolation Pendulum
H-Net Reviews - Klingberg's book Positive Expectations of America's World Role: Historical Cycles of Realistic Idealism
1776-1797 | Int | Revolution, establishment of government |
1798-1823 | Ext | French naval war, Louisiana Purchase, War of 1812 |
1824-1844 | Int | Nullification crisis, Texas question |
1845-1870 | Ext | Texas and Oregon annexations, Mexican War, Civil War |
1871-1890 | Int | |
1891-1918 | Ext | Spanish-American War, World War I |
1919-1939 | Int | League of Nations rejection, Neutrality Acts |
1940-1967 | Ext | World War II, Cold War, Korean and Vietnam Wars |
1968-1988 | Int | Vietnamization, détente, fall of the Soviet Union |
1989- | Ext | Post-Cold-War assertion, Gulf War, War on Terror |
Most big US wars and US territorial acquisitions have happened in extroverted eras. However, conquest of First Nations people was in both extroverted and introverted eras. But that happened mostly inside of territory claimed by the US in its dealings with other big nations. Nations like Britain, France, Spain, Mexico, and Russia. If the Cahokian society had survived, then Cahokia may have been worth including among them.
With the Iraq War ended and the Afghanistan War winding down, the US seems like it's entering another introverted era.
What makes this cycle happen is likely something internal, and independent of what makes the liberal-conservative cycle happen. But they are nevertheless connected:
For each phase of the domestic cycle defines the national interest in terms of its own values. Each uses foreign policy to project those values abroad. Public-purpose eras tend to incorporate into foreign policy ideas of democracy, reform, human rights, civil liberties, social change, affirmative government. Such eras display a preference abroad for democratic center-left regimes. Private-interest eras tend to conceive international affairs in terms of capitalism, private investment, the magic of the marketplace, the defense of American corporations doing business in foreign lands. Such eras display a preference abroad for right-wing and authoritarian regimes that promise protection for private capital.
As with liberal and conservative eras, extroverted and introverted eras are likely self-limiting. Extroverted eras likely end by burnout by big wars: the 1812 War, the Civil War, World War I, and the Vietnam War. The current one will likely end the same way. Introverted eras at least sometimes end from lack of response to challenges from other nations. An obvious one is the early 20th cy. one, where the US was up against Germany and Japan. FDR got a military buildup going and send a lot of aid to Britain, over the objections of the "America First" movement. But Japan's attack of Pearl Harbor shut up the America Firsters.