Sovereignty and Imperialism - Essay Example

In the case of the Roosevelt Corollary, President Roosevelt acted under the pretense of limiting foreign involvement in the affairs of the Latin American states. According to Ayers (2009), Roosevelt claimed that mistakes the Latin American country made would force the United States to exercise international police power. In the Panamanian Revolution, Roosevelt argued that the Colombians refused to take his offer for the canal. Additionally, there had been several other treaties made in the past with the Colombian government that had not been honored.
c. Message from the Cartoons
President Roosevelt is depicted as an adamant fighter who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal or victory. About the Panamanian Revolution and the Roosevelt Corollary, Roosevelt depicts that he does not appreciate losing and as such would use any available means to ensure that he succeeds. This is evident by the way he strangles his opponent in the depicted cartoon of him and the railroad trust.
d. Events leading to Panamanian Revolution.
By showing interest in the offer given by the Panamanian rebels over the Panama Canal, the United States effectively played a big role in enforcing the revolution. By secretly organizing a coup and declaring their independence with the protection of the United States Navy, the Panamanian rebels stole the Panama Canal Zone from the Colombians as claimed by the Republican senator Hayakawa.
Question 2
Following the publication of a novel by Upton Sinclair, ’the jungle’, there was an uproar among the American people amidst the revelations that the book revealed to the citizens. The massive filth and corruption of the meat packing industry had been exposed with Upton vividly describing how sick cows were slaughtered for beef at the watch of the meat inspector (Ayers, 2009). He also exposed how rats and other rodents were packed with regular meat and ground to make sausages. As a result of this, there was massive demand by the public for reforms in the meat industry. This public outcry for reforms partly contributed to the progressive reform movement that was taking shape at the time.
Upton’s article was characteristic of muckraking journalism in the sense that it reported on the wrongdoings that were happening in the meat industry. By investigating and revealing the filth and rot that had been entrenched in such a sensitive industry, Upton qualified to be a muckraker. His article didn’t bear any positive news or reports about the happenings in the meat industry but instead condemned the wrongdoings.
Even the president, Roosevelt, was particularly disturbed by this publication. His immediate action was to send agents to investigate Upton’s claim. Unfortunately, the agents reported back a much worse situation than the one Upton published in his novel. He, therefore, requested that congress pass a law for regulating food and drug usage and also put in place a standard for the inspection of meat. This was finally achieved in 1906 with the law requiring meat to be packed in a clean environment and meet the stipulated standards. He even invited Upton to the statehouse and solicited his advice on ways to improve the inspection process to make them much safer. This system matched his current regulatory system in the sense that it favored large meat-packing industries at the demise of the smaller ones. This is similar to his policy of ‘square deal’ which gives a fair deal to those who meet the required practices and standards and punishes those who do not meet these standards.


Identifications
a) Northern Security case
It was a case heard in 1904 by the United States Supreme Court between the United States government and Northern Securities Company Limited. In contention was the monopoly enjoyed by this company in providing railway services. In the ruling, the court favored the U.S. government and ordered the dissolution of the Northern Securities Company.
b) Hepburn Act
Named after its sponsor, Republican William Peters Hepburn, the act gave the interstate commerce commission powers to control railroad rates and also to extend its jurisdiction. By this, the free pass extended to the faithful was abolished and its authority covered terminals, ferries, pipelines, and bridges.
c) ‘The Square Deal’
It was a program initiated by President Theodore Roosevelt to assist the middle-income population by condemning wealthy citizens and at the same time securing businesses from the harsh demands of organized labor. This program was based on three fundamental principles; managing businesses, protecting consumers, and preservation of resources.
d) Muckraking
It is a method of publishing that mainly focused on writing negative articles. It was coined in the 1900s by President Roosevelt following reports published by reform-minded journalists (muckrakers) that tainted the image of the Republican Party. They mainly acted as the publics’ watchdog and often kept the government in check by publishing the doings and other scandals in popular magazines (Ayers, 2009, p 527).
e) ‘Great white fleet’.
It’s a nickname given to the United States Naval battle fleet that made a complete circumnavigation of the earth in the year 1909. The trip was commissioned by President Roosevelt and was aimed at showcasing to the world America's Naval prowess. He also hoped to secure overseas wealth and sign more treaties with foreign nations while on the tour. Read More