The Anti-imperialist League - Essay Example

Thesis Paragraph The Anti-Imperialist League was an essentially American organization that came into existence on June 15, 1898.1 The organization stood for varied fundamental principles enshrined in the American Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and imminent in the American way of life. The Anti-Imperialist League opposed the annexation of Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico or any other nation by the United States of America.2 It opposed any form of expansionist policy on the part of United States, as its members believed it to be contrary to the fundamental ethos of republicanism.

The Anti-Imperialist League had no aversion to the expansion of Unite States in the areas of trade, business, political ideas, culture, religion and humanitarian efforts. However, they challenged any politically expansionist designs on the part of the United States, as they intended to deprive the inhabitants of the annexed nations of their inalienable right of self determination and self government.3 The Anti-Imperialist League drew inspiration from the ideas given by the cherished patriarchs of the past like the founding fathers, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

4 Though, a majority of the Americans supported the annexation of Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico, the Ant-Imperialist League was a beacon of hope in the troubled times that stood against any imperialist or colonial policy on the part of the united States. The principles of the League were inherently just and in consonance with the democratic principle of the right of the rulers to govern the ruled only by their consent. Its members considered the idea of subjugation of other nations by the United States as being a criminal act that violated the very spirit of American democracy.

5 Though in minority, the League was ethically and morally, certainly on the right track. The Anti-Imperialist extended varied reasons to denounce the expansionist designs of the United States. One was the unnecessary and futile sacrifice of the American soldiers and sailors in the military campaigns undertaken to gain control over the foreign lands.6 It denounced the slaughter of Philippines’ natives by the American army and navy as being horrible and compared the United States’ expansionist designs to be like those of the colonial Spaniards.

7 The other important weapon in the hands of the Anti-Imperialist League was the ethical and moral superiority of its cause before the coercive nature of the American expansionist designs in Philippines. Its members declared that the imperial nature of the American expansionist doctrine was not in accordance with the basic American spirit of liberty and freedom. It amounted to the suppression of the weak by the strong and powerful. It warned the United States from conforming to the ancient legacy of the supremacy of might over the right and urged it to return back to the Philippines the sovereignty and independence that it justly deserved.

8 The Anti-Imperialist League also drew the public attention towards the possibility of a complete success of the international imperialist forces, going by the fact that the only viable and capable, moral, ethical and military opposition that is the United States of America was willing to comply with and follow their doctrine of annexation and control by force.9 This attitude on the part of th