American Isolationism Essay Example

During the 1920’s, the economy of America was thriving. The First World War had created new jobs and industries; members of society, such as women, were becoming more profound in society and their roles were becoming redefined. The United States was emerging as the industrial giant of the world. To protect the American consumers from imported goods from Europe and encourage American products, the government of the United States imposed high tariffs. Essentially, the United States no longer desire to maintain ties with Europe. The tariffs imposed by the American government were instrumental in the efforts made by the United States to stay out of European affairs. The concept of “Manifest Destiny” drove the United States into connections with Canada, Mexico, and South America rather than with Europe. The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 as well as the Open Door Policy of 1899 displayed the interest that the Unites States had in these areas and laid the foundation for early isolation from Europe. Into the 1920’s, the United States returned to these ideas after a brief window into a European conflict-namely, the First World War. As the years progress, one can see how isolationism affected the United States economically, socially, and politically.
Economically, isolationism was only useful for a short time. Essentially, the isolationist policies of the United States are partially responsible for the decline in the economy. One of the isolationist policies that hurt America’s economy was the country’s stance on international trade. During 1922, the American government introduced the Fordney-McCumber Act. This act raised American customs duties and made imports more expensive than goods made in the United States. For a time, this tariff was rather beneficial; the government made a profit off of the tariff and Americans were more inclined to buy goods made in the United States. When the citizens had bought all that they could buy, there was a decrease in demand. Suddenly, the