Politics of Thomas Woodrow Wilson - Essay Example

Wilson's diplomatic actions in Mexico, Haiti, and other areas, his pursuit of neutrality with Europe, his actions during World War I, and his postwar peace negotiations in Paris which resulted in the creation of the League of Nations make him one of the most active presidents on record.

From an economic perspective, Woodrow Wilson established several successful policy reforms. In 1913, as a part of economic reforms, the Underwood tariff has been lowered from 40% to 25% (Clements, 1992). Wilson provided compensation for this decrease in the form of federal income tax, supported by the Sixteenth Amendment to the US Constitution. In addition, Wilson initiated complex reforms supporting farming businesses in the United States, including programs of educational support and initiatives providing farmers with low-cost long-term mortgages (Clements, 1992). Woodrow Wilson also became famous for his support of small and medium businesses and the enactment of antitrust policies.

Recent scholarship has emphasized the importance of ideology in understanding Woodrow Wilson’s politics. While Wilson scholars have examined his idealism, few have traced the ideological and religious roots of principles that formed his mindset. Practically, during the period of American neutrality from 1914 to 1917, he made numerous public speeches that afford insight into his religious beliefs, and their relationship to his understanding of presidential leadership, good government, and especially foreign policy (Knock, 1992). Wilson believed that good leaders used oratory to inform people of important issues and guide them to support the best practices. As the importance of the issue or policy at stake rose, so did the importance of speaking on it. Wilson’s speeches reflect what he thought the public needed to know to approve his plans and undertakings, and the concepts he used to gain that approval.

Wilson continuously stressed his impartiality in the exercise of his duties. As chief executive, he claimed to express the opinion of American citizens, rather than his own. He clarified that he did not confuse the opinion of newspaper editorials and the popular view. “With all due respect to editors of great newspapers, I have to say to them that I never take my opinions of the American people of their editorials” (Link, 32:29). Being president denied him an expression of his opinion, as his job required he focuses exclusively on the country’s interests and not his own. Wilson’s stress on national opinion reflected his need to interact with the people beyond the confines of Washington, D.C. As he stated during a Flag Day celebration: “I felt caught up and buoyed along by the great stream of human purpose which seemed to flow in front of me by the stand at the White House, and I shall go away from this meeting, as I came away from that parade, with all the deepest purposes of my heart renewed” (Link, 37:224).

Wilson’s expressions of his desire for contact with non-politicians and government functionaries reinforced the image he cultivated of a common man elected to serve the people. He regularly described himself as an average man, despite Ph.D., a brief period as a lawyer, and years spent as a college professor and president (Clements, 1992). As a common man, Wilson operated as an associate, servant, or helper. He explained the function of both Congress and the President as servants of the people. By arguing that public officials needed to confer with their people for both personal and national reasons, especially to accurately assess public opinion, Wilson told his audiences why he was speaking, created commonalities with them, and prepared the way for a favorable reception of his ideas (Link, 35:324). This political philosophy and Wilson’s economic and foreign relations policies continuously place him at the top list of most influential and important Presidents of the United States. Read More