Open Door Policy 19th Century

In the late 19th century to early 20th century, the United States had become a world power. During the Spanish-American War in 1898, its victory marked American entry into world affairs. The United States then went on to establish itself in East Asia demonstrating its willingness to use military power, emerging as an influential world power. China was in economic and political disarray in the early twentieth century when it moved away from the two thousand year old Imperial System to a Republic. At this time other countries were focused on expanding their colonies around the world, establishing spheres of influence. This aggressive economic and political growth was known as the Age of Imperialism. The United States had also recently acquired the Philippine
could pursue an aggressive economic expansionist policy without military force. It was clear that the U.S. did not have the same advantages as the imperialistic countries did since they had not obtained a sphere of influence in China (SOURCE 6). The Open Door policy would negate this by granting all countries equal access to trade with China. This did increase U.S. trade with China while maintaining its opposition against imperialism. The U.S. did not want to be an imperial country because it went against their republican beliefs. William Appleman Williams, a prominent revisionist historian in the 20th century stated that “it emerged as one of the most enduring interpretive concepts in the study of U.S. foreign relations,” because it set an example of how the U.S. could successfully intervene in other countries affairs and benefit economically by cooperating with other countries instead of invading (SOURCE 7). The U.S.’s proposal promoted free trade under its high-minded principals that supposedly boosted interests of all nations. With this reasoning it gave leeway for the U.S. to justify its political, economic, and military actions in the