Democratic Political System and Foreign Policy - Essay Example

?DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEM AND FOREIGN POLICY The promotion of democracy has been for a long time been the most significant element within the principles and views of the foreign policy of the US (Hassan and Ralph, 2011, p. 509). It is argued that the current foreign policy in the US is upholding democracy as the most important or primary element on which decisions are made on foreign policy. For example the reign of George W. Bush was characterized by efforts and actions that were aimed at promoting freedom in Iraq and other parts of the world. On the other hand, it has been debated that the democratization process within the foreign policy of the US is a form of tyranny and a tool of fighting terrorist groups as depicted by the US war on Iraq. However positive implications of the element of democracy in the US foreign policy have been demonstrated by its role in enhancing stability in regions of the world that are under political troubles and the use of democracy as a tool of promoting prosperity within the developing nations. This essay gives a critical analysis and argument on the significance and role of democratic ideas on foreign policy with a special focus on the US foreign policy. The essay aims at arguing that the interference of a democratic system on the foreign policy is desirable. Bouchet (2011, p. 572) says that the significance of a democratic political system in shaping the foreign policy is demonstrated by the US foreign policy whose key priority is to spread democracy to other parts of the world. However some schools of thought argue that democracy as defined within the US foreign policy is just one of the strategic objectives that the US designs to impart influence on other nations of the worlds especially within the Asian societies and the developing world (Berger, 2011, p. 38). The issue of democracy is important in the US foreign policy as illustrated by speeches of presidential candidates and the discussions of Members of the Congress who define democracy within the foreign policy of the US. Regardless of this, it is argued that what matters is the where, when and how in the application of foreign policy in regard to the principles of democracy which matters the most (Miller, 2005, p. 174). There are however notable difficulties which are faced by the democratization processes within the US foreign policy whose significance is illustrated by the fact that political leaders have employed costly measures of overcoming these challenges (Clarke, 2000, p. 103). Hassan and Ralph (2011, p. 513) point out that during the First World War; the participation of the US was aimed at making world regions and economies safe enough for exercising democratic political systems, values and principles. Since this war, the US administration has focused energies at ensuring that democracy was promoted in the different political systems of the world. For example presidents Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Obama have demonstrated that the most valuable component of the US foreign policy is the need to promote democracy (Guerlain, 2011, p. 372). The Bush administration demonstrated the impact of democracy on foreign policy by using it as a tool for the promotion of peace and curbing terrorism. In the speeches of Bush, war on terror and democratization was the central component in the description of the US foreign policy (Berger, 2011, p. 47). The significance of democratic political systems in designing foreign policy was demonstrated by the Secretary of State during the Bush Administration, Dr. Condoleezza Rice. The Secretary of State came up with a diplomacy plan in early January, 2006 which was aimed at bringing political transformation by working with political partners to build democratic states and sustain democratic political systems (Bouchet, 2011, p. 577). Emphatically, Rice’s plan was restated in October, 2006 within the State Department. In this sense, democratic political systems are viewed to have a significant impact on the design and implementation of foreign policy. The significant of democratic political systems in crafting foreign policy is demonstrated by a survey that was conducted in 2007 among American citizens. This survey was intended to determine the most effective strategies that would be used in the fight against terrorism and terrorist activities. The survey results showed that a majority of Americas described promotion of democracy and freedom within the Islamic world as one of the strategies that would be used to combat terrorism (Miller, 2005, p. 178). In addition, the survey findings demonstrated that the US had a role to play in freeing poor nations from becoming havens for terrorist activities by providing these nations with financial assistance (Clarke, 2000, p. 121). This means that democracy and political freedom are the most significant components within the US foreign policy. According to Guerlain (2011, p. 378), the role of democratic system of the US in shaping foreign policy has however been opposed by the eastern economies. For example, the President of the Arab American Institute, Dr. James J. Zogby, in 2007 testified before the US Congress that a survey among Arabs revealed that they did not require the assistance of the US to achieve a democratic system. This is regardless of the fact that the Arab population valued democracy and the related political freedom (Hassan and Ralph, 2011, p. 510). This illustration is used to explain the debates which have emerged among presidential hopefuls and lawmakers on the role of the US in spreading the values of democracy into the Arab World as defined by its foreign policy. Some political leaders argue that the US foreign policy should not be driven by the need to promote democracy in other regions of the world and instead the US should drop this entirely from its political agenda (Berger, 2011, p. 46). Opposition to this stand demonstrates further that the democratic systems of the US have a significant impact on the crafting and implementation of its foreign policy. The reasons why the US foreign policy is used as a basis of promoting democratic systems in other parts of the world can also be used to illustrate its impact or influence in the design and implementation of foreign policy standards. For example the element of democracy and its interference with the foreign policy of the US has been argued to be the best approach through which the US can promote stability within the global political environment (Miller, 2005, p. 174). In addition to combating terrorism, democracy as a core element within the US foreign policy has been said to be the most effective approach in motivating economic prosperity of world economies. In this sense therefore the interference that democracy has on foreign policy is argued to be desirable. Bouchet (2011, p. 582) says that the role of the democratic system of the US in the foreign policy which pertains to terrorism is argued to have failed to demonstrate desirability when the Bush Administration failed to curb terrorism after a costly war on Iraq. However, through the efforts of freeing the world from terror activities, and the application of the US foreign policy and standards, the Obama Administration managed to kill leader of the Al Qaeda terrorist group which is argued to be a significant step in combating terror. It is therefore in line of this argument that the role of the US in combating terrorism as motivated by the democratic system and war on terror that the interference of democracy on foreign policy can be argued to be desirable. A democratic peace theory which was postulated by former US Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice states that democratic states do not stage war on each other (Berger, 2011, p. 50). This reveals why the democratic system of the US is so significant in designing and implementing the country’s foreign policy. In addition, the democratic peace theory demonstrates that the interference of democracy on the US foreign policy is more desirable than argued otherwise. These illustrations are backed by the sentiments put forth by Bill Clinton that democratic states lead to creation of free markets and as a result make them reliable partners in trade and most importantly reduce the likelihood that they would declare war on each other (Hassan and Ralph, 2011, p. 518). As said by Clarke (2000, p. 134), the role of democratic systems in promotion of economic growth and stability across various economies of the world and the interrelationship between states as defined by foreign policies act to demonstrate that the interference of democracy on foreign policy is desirable (Bouchet, 2011, p. 579). Democratic systems impact on the design of foreign policy on trade and economic development. This is further emphasized by arguments that democracy and the resultant rule of the law cause economic growth and prosperity of a specific economy. Therefore the US foreign policy encourages democracy among nations so that it would promote trade that is carried out between the US and other world economies. The stability in economies which emanate from democratic systems reveals that the role of democracy and its interferences on the foreign policy of the US is desirable. In spite of the above arguments and illustration, critics of the role of democracy in defining the US foreign policy on national security has demonstrated various forms of skepticisms which question the desirability of democracy and its interference on foreign policy (Miller, 2005, p. 185). For example the basis of democracy in drafting the US foreign policy on national security during the Bush administration has received skepticisms and criticisms from individuals both within the US, in Iraq and from other nations of the world (Guerlain, 2011, p. 380). It is argued that the use of war and foreign policy on national security as a way of promoting democracy in Iraq is regrettable. However it can be argued that the failure of the Iraq war cannot be used to regret the intentions of the American government to promote democracy and ensure that national security though its foreign policy was maintained and safeguarded. Critics of the interference of democracy promotion on foreign policy of the US argue that the expenditure which is used in the promotion of the US systems of democracy are competing to the priorities of domestic spending within the US (Clarke, 2000, p. 104). This is related to the high military expenditures which the Bush administration demonstrated in the Iraq war which was disapproved by the US citizens themselves. These critics further argue that the tools which are used within the foreign policy of the US in promoting democracy such as military intervention, foreign aid and public diplomacy are both expensive and less guaranteeing in causing long term advantages or gains (Miller, 2005, p. 182). Regardless of these arguments, the role of democracy in promoting national stability and motivating the growth of the economy cannot be overlooked within the framework of foreign policy and the significance of democratic systems in the implementation of this policy. According to Bouchet (2011, p. 577), the role of democracy in the design and implementation of foreign policy by the US is criticized on the basis of interference of the foreign countries’ domestic politics. This has been said to be the cause of the backlash against the domestic and foreign organizations that carry out the democratic promotional activities. For example the huge investment in promoting policy by the US in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Russia is attributed to the backlash which emanated from political organizations of these countries against the US driven political reform and the related promotion of democracy. The negative implication of promoting democracy as an important element of the US foreign policy is illustrated by the anti-American governments that have risen in countries such as regions of Palestine and Lebanon (Guerlain, 2011, p. 372). In light of these illustrations, the interference of democracy on the foreign policy seems to be less desirable. Nonetheless, the failures that the US has faced in implementation of its foreign policy though the promotion of democracy are fewer as compared to the gains of democratic and politically free societies especially within the developing nations. Hassan and Ralph (2011, p. 509) assert that the significance and impact of democratic systems of the US in the country’s foreign policy is disclosed by the successes which have been attained in the promotion of democracy in various parts of the world. For example political transitions of various nations which began early in the 1980s demonstrate that the interference of democracy on foreign policy is nothing less than desirable. For example, Poland, Chile, South Africa and the Philippines revealed transition into democratic states as a result of the role of democracy in the US foreign policy of promoting free governance (Miller, 2005, p. 174). The racial apartheid which was practiced within South Africa and the transition that followed to make citizens in this nation free specifically demonstrates how significant and desirable democracy is within the context of foreign policy. South Korea and Taiwan are other examples which demonstrate the importance of promoting democracy as an important element which interferes with the processes of foreign policy implementation. Democracy has been related to free and fair elections. However critics of the US involvement in promotion of democracy in its foreign policy argue that elections are not accurate measurement of the achievement of democracy by a nation. This is because of the logistics of the multiparty elections which normally exclude a certain portion of the electorate from defending their political interests (Clarke, 2000, p. 103). Regardless of this, the participation of a country in a free and fair election regardless of the associated challenges is an indication of its movement towards the achievement of democracy and upholding the principles of democracy and freedom of the electorate to exercise their political rights and interests. Therefore, the role democracy in the US foreign policy which promotes democratic election of leaders reveal that democracy as an important element in foreign policy and its interference on this policy is desirable. The problems that the US foreign policy experiences especially in the promotion of democracy are argued by some schools of thought to be an illustration how undesirable the interference of democracy on foreign policy is (Guerlain, 2011, p. 375). Such arguments show that the promotion of democracy as defined within the US’s foreign policy is one of the most uncertain of arts. This is depicted in line with the expenditure of the already constrained financial resources and the allocation of budgets to support foreign policies on the promotion of democracy to other parts of the world. It is further revealed that the change from communist and authoritarian regimes requires that a completely new political order and regime is created (Miller, 2005, p. 186). This is both uncertain and costly to warrant any expenditure of constrained resources. However the role of democracy in uniting societies that are divided across political lines makes its interference with the US foreign policy desirable. According to Berger (2011, p. 38), foreign policy processes such as bilateral programs which are designed to promote democracy demonstrate that the interference of democracy on the US foreign policy is significant and desirable. For example through bilateral programs, the US government has reveled support and promotion of political reform into democratic systems through support of elections through financial aid, assistance in the development of legal systems, promotion of good governance practices, teaching on the significance of free media and training the police and the military. These bilateral arrangements have however been criticized as being costly and not guaranteed to be appropriate and effective in causing political reform into democratic societies (Miller, 2005, p. 179). However the role of the bilateral programs and arrangements in promoting the appreciation of democracy in states cannot be ignored. In the light of the above discussion, arguments and illustrations, it is conclusive that the principles of democracy and democratic systems within the US play a significant role in the design and implementation of the foreign policy. Even though the promotion of democracy though foreign policies on governance, elections, the rule of law, free press and national security have been criticized, the role of democracy in the US foreign policy is desirable. This is attributed to the success that the US has achieved in influencing less democratic, authoritarian and communist states to achieve success in political reform towards the democratization process. More importantly, the role of democracy in promoting economic growth and stability of democratic states and the related economic opportunities illustrate that democracy is significant in the design and implementation of foreign policy and it is desirable. It is therefore evident that despite the challenges that the US faces in implementing its foreign policies and the criticism which emanate from leaders and other schools of thought, democracy as promoted by the US plays a significant role in curbing authoritarianism and autocratic rule in parts of the world. This is the prerequisite in promoting economic growth and development of the world economy at large as defined by the forces of globalization. References Berger, L 2011, 'The Missing Link? US Policy and the International Dimensions of Failed Democratic Transitions in the Arab World', Political Studies, 59, 1, pp. 38-55 Bouchet, N 2011, 'Barack Obama's democracy promotion at midterm', International Journal of Human Rights, 15, 4, pp. 572-588 Clarke, M., 2000, “Understanding foreign policy: the foreign policy systems approach”, Cheltenham, UK, Elgar Guerlain, P 2011, 'The Israel lobby, American democracy and foreign perceptions of the USA', Journal of Public Affairs (14723891), 11, 4, pp. 372-381 Hassan, O, and Ralph, J 2011, 'Democracy promotion and human rights in US foreign policy', International Journal of Human Rights, 15, 4, pp. 509-519 Miller, CA 2005, 'Science and democracy in a globalizing world: challenges for American foreign policy', Science and Public Policy (SPP), 32, 3, pp. 174-186 Read More