Foreign Policy

A nation-state refers to the political, economic, cultural, and social actors within an international system. A modern nation-state system came into existence after a single or a set of more than two nationalities combined within a political union (Baude 1740). A nation-state is directly involved with manipulating the law system, which governs the members of the state, the official language used within the state, the current system used as a form of exchange, and ensuring order in the elements of the society through the use of bureaucracy.

The Status of the Modern State System

After the Second World War came to an end, the international political system has obtained organization around the notion of equity among the sovereign states. Furthermore, the international political system has gone to the extent of ensuring that there is an internal competence of domestic jurisdiction as well as an act of ensuring that the existing state boundaries are preserved.

However, this has not been the case as these ideals have increasingly been violated as a result of the development of dominant states in the current modern state system. Taking into consideration the case of Europe, France is an example of a dominant state in the region (Archer 250). Some of the newly emerging nation-states within the sixteenth and the seventeenth century exhibited some complex foreign policy relationships with the transnational power, which was predominant at that time that is the Catholic Church.

How the United States Define its Role in the World

America considers self-government as a road towards success based on its founding principles. The founding principles are outlined within the state’s Declaration of Independence which is secured within the constitution of the USA. America’s universal and permanent truth regarding liberty and human equity is conserved within the region’s rule of law, reflected within the constitution and highly valued by the people. As a result of these exceptional principles, America plays a special role in the global scenes.

The United States defines its role to the world through its foreign policy as well as by showing commitment towards its policies outlined within its declaration of independence secured by the state’s constitution. Right from the start, the United States foreign policy has had the main obligation of defending the American constitution while protecting the rights of the common people. As a result, the United States has greatly been committed to protecting the rights of freedom of commerce, offering defense to the common people within different geographic locations, and promoting the existence of peaceful relations with other nation-states. America’s principles are significantly universal in nature with a unique responsibility when ensuring that America advances and upholds its principles (Hansen 1162). America’s cause greatly lies within the great measure of all humankind without including any form of discrimination. The founders of America’s foreign policy included the idea of human liberty, which was characterized by self-governance, applicable to all people from different localities.

According to the Declaration of independence, it is evident that all mankind are provided with similar unalienable rights, which are secured only through the consent of the government. This shows America’s commitment towards its principles at a domestic level as well as within its foreign policy. Furthermore, this also shows that America faces some profound consequences for the cause of liberty that it experiences everywhere.

America’s View of Interacting with other Countries

America has played a great role in practicing diplomacy toward other governments in the world. This is reflected within the principle of the states despite the fact that it is not indicated in a manner that portrays a means of negotiating the interest of the Americans. Rather, it is outlined in a manner that advances liberty. America has liberty as its defining principle rather than just a political reference. Therefore, to communicate with other states, America has gone to the extent of having diplomats such as Benjamin Franklin, John Quincy Adams, and Thomas Jefferson abroad to represent America and its people as well as exceptional ideas, which characterize America and as a young republic (Kostyaev 56).

Throughout history, all American citizens have been inspired by religious, political and economic freedom which ensures that the citizens act as liberty ambassadors for the state and abroad. Therefore, Merchants, missionaries, citizen diplomats and medics have gone as far as establishing orphanages, schools, and hospitals as a way of promoting liberty. Furthermore, the American citizens have also educated children, translated literature and ensured an inspiration within the political reform of countries in different geographic locations which are impoverished if not oppressed. Thus, self government is considered as the greatest enemy of tyranny in that it ensures a civic engagement of American citizens as well as their commitment to the founding American principles which forms the basis of the unique role that the United States has to play to the world as a whole.

Other than having diplomats in other countries, America has also identified representatives in other countries who communicate on behalf of the state to the respective governments where the representatives live (Kostyaev 58). This shows that America has a unique statecraft understanding. Evidently, the state’s foreign policy has constantly accounted for its citizens through an act of electing representatives in different countries globally. This is different from the European monarchies and empires which does not display and recognize human liberty as an inalienable right. As it is, European diplomacy serves only the interest of the rulers rather than providing a reflection of the consent of the people being governed. The current world is known to be dangerous, but this does not provide an excuse for the U.S. to isolate itself from the current affairs of the world. Rather, the state’s foreign policy is designed in a manner that shapes and preserves the country’s policy of self-governance.

Despite the roles that America plays in the world, a constitutional government can inhibit the role through a set of laws that negatively impacts self-government and liberty. However, through having a sense of justice, the role of the United States in the world can also be inspired by resulting in a considerable amount of benefits to the Americans and the world as a whole. However, America’s foreign policy is characterized by strength and independence that provides Americans with an opportunity of selecting peace or war depending on their interests and what they desire. To ensure that the U.S. foreign policy remains competent, it is guided by counsel and justice, to ensure that the interest of all the countries available abroad as well as America itself benefits from the policy.

How America Characterizes Itself and Others

America characterizes itself as exceptional which means that it is qualitatively different from other nations available in the world. America’s exceptionalism arises from the state’s emergence from evolution to the development of a new nation characterized by a uniquely American ideology. The unique ideology is known as American exceptionalism. This ideology is highly associated with superiority which is not necessarily true. It is mostly considered superior, in that it almost never faced the historical forces that other countries have undergone, and Americanism has its basis on liberty, individualism, egalitarianism, republicanism, laissez-faire, and populism (Kostyaev 59).

A historical belief exists that Americanism is independent of all historical Marxist laws based on its exceptional natural resources, absence of existing class distinctions, and industrial capacity unlike other countries and states available in the world. Taking into consideration Alexis de Tocqueville's sentiments, America’s position is considered exceptional and no democratic people will be available in a similar position. This is evident as the state is characterized by an exclusive commercial habit with citizens who divert their minds to arts, literature, and the pursuit of science. However, this is not the case for other nation-states such as Europe which has constantly neglected such pursuits resorting to barbarism (Thérien, Jean-Philippe, and Gordon S162).

Rhetorical Tropes and National Security

The American foreign policy realm, particularly foreign adversaries, is significant when it comes to writing identities. America's enduring foreign policy plays a major role in outlining both internal and external boundaries especially when it comes to war. This is especially true when it comes to the war on terror in the American boundaries. The American War on terrorism is constructed on a rhetorical mode rather than a deliberate mode which plays a great role in inflicting fear on the terrorists to promote peace within the state. The rhetorical mode plays an important role in enhancing unity through the amplification of its values and virtues, or national image, rather than the use of national deliberation, which determines the actions of the state. Through the identification of the enemy, counter-terrorism is ensured as a war on terror.

American considers the use of the rhetorical trope of good and evil as the most vital construction identity. The good and evil rhetorical trope is embedded within the American tradition and religious life. The trope provides that terrorism is a satanic and morally corrupt thus, a person who gets involved within acts of terrorism is known to be engaging in undesirable activities within the state. Taking into consideration the terrorist attack which took place on September 11th, former president George Bush is quoted as saying “the country saw evil in its worst form in human beings” (Hansen 1168).

Furthermore, terrorists are also referred to as the evil ones or the evildoers within the state. These terms are also referred to as theological terms, which are meant to conserve the audience while promoting an understanding of the good guys and the bad guys. In addition, this supernaturalizes the terrorists who engage in terrorist activities within the state. Moreover, the terrorist activities normally result in loss of innocent human life which is evil and demonic from a religious perspective. As a result, the rhetorical trope is considered a powerful discourse on the American war on terror which de-contextualizes the acts of terrorism in the state. Furthermore, this rhetorical trope dehumanizes the humanism terror activities which have been prevalent within the state

Despite the fact that there is no explanation for terror acts, there is no reason for the state to compromise with evil. Therefore, exorcism and purification should be the way to go to the state. The rhetorical trope of human and inhuman is also used by the State. Taking into consideration former president Bush’s sentiments after the September 11th attack, it is evident that terrorism is a curse laid upon the earth. Despite the fact that it is wrong to treat a person inhumanely, terrorists still have little regard for human life and rights. Therefore, the state is forced to fighting the hidden enemy of terror to eliminate the unleashed impunity within the state.

Conclusion

Through the establishment of a political union, a modern nation-state, characterized by dominant nations is developed. These dominant nations such as France in the European continent are characterized by individuals and leaders who are hungry for power and what it offers such that it does not take into consideration cases of liberty and self-government as the U.S. Self government forms a basis of the state's success and communication at a local and international level. As it is, the Americans have established representatives and diplomats within other countries to speak on behalf of the government and the state in different regions. Good and evil are an example of a rhetorical trope which American takes into consideration while fighting the war on terrorism. This has played a great role in eliminating terror in the states based on the fact that Americans will go to a greater extent of fighting impunity to protect the interest of its citizens.

Works Cited

Archer, Kevin. "Rescaling Global Governance: Imagining the Demise of the Nation-State." Globalizations 9.2 (2012): 241-256. Print.

Baude, William. "Rethinking the Federal Eminent Domain Power." Yale Law Journal 122.7 (2013): 1738-1825. Print.

Hansen, Simon. "Whose Defense Is It Anyway? Redefining the Role of the Legislative Branch in the Defense of Federal Statutes." Emory Law Journal 62.4 (2013): 1159-1204. Print.

Kostyaev, Sergey. "Regime Change and Arab Countries' Lobbying In the United States." Arab Studies Quarterly 35.1 (2013): 54-72. Print.

Thérien, Jean-Philippe, and Gordon Mace. "Identity and Foreign Policy: Canada as a Nation of the Americas." Latin American Politics & Society 55.2 (2013): 150-168. Print.