Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

diplomacy’. Barbary, then, became the first experimental field in which the
Americans exhibited arrogance and aggressiveness in foreign policy and put
their concept of ‘new diplomacy’ into practice. That stance was going to be
America’s guiding line for the next two hundred years or so.
1. 1. The Founding Principles of American Foreign Policy
The fundamental principles of American foreign policy as expressed by
the founders of the republic may be summarized in these words from John
Adams (1735-1826), influential American statesman from the early
revolutionary period and architect of the ‘model treaty’ or Plan of 1776. 11
Reviewing the debates of the fall of 1776 on the “application to foreign
powers,” Adams wrote that he had laid it down as a first principle that:
we should calculate all our measures and foreign negotiations in such a
manner, as to avoid a too great dependence upon any power of
Europe—to avoid all obligations and temptations to take any part in
future European wars: that the business of America with Europe was
commerce, not politics or war. 12
In other terms, at its very foundation, American foreign policy was in essence
and principle straightforwardly selfish and aggressive. The Americans wanted
to hit two birds with the same stone: obtain an alliance with the European
powers against Great Britain to achieve independence, on the one hand, and
force the door of international markets open for their trade, on the other,
11 First vice-president (1789-1797) and second president (1797-1801) and of the United States, John
Adams is one of the Founding Fathers. His leadership in the movement for independence won him the
title of ‘Atlas of Independence.’
12 WJA, 8:5, Letter to Secretary Livingston, Paris, 5 February 1783.
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