Isolationism is a foreign policy adopted by a nation in which the country refuses to enter into any alliances, foreign trade or economic commitments, or international agreements, in hopes of focusing all of its resources into advancement within its own borders while remaining at peace with foreign countries by avoiding all entanglements of foreign agreements. In other words, it asserts both of the following:

1. Non-interventionism – Political rulers should avoid entangling alliances with other nations and avoid all wars not related to direct territorial differences (self-defense).
2. Protectionism – There should be legal barriers to control trade and cultural exchange with people in other states.

[edit] Introduction

"Isolationism" has always been a debated political topic. Whether or not a country should be or should not be isolationist affects both living standards and the ability of political rulers to benefit favored firms and industries.

The policy or doctrine of trying to isolate one's country from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances, foreign economic commitments, international agreements, and generally attempting to make one's economy entirely self-reliant; seeking to devote the entire efforts of one's country to its own advancement, both diplomatically and economically, while remaining in a state of peace by avoiding foreign entanglements and responsibilities.^[1]

All the First World countries (the UK, United States, etc.) trade in a world economy, and experienced an expansion of the division of labor, which generally raised living standards. However, some characterize this as "a wage race to the bottom" in the manufacturing industries that should be curtailed by protectionism. Some argue that isolating a country from a global division of labor—i.e. employing protectionist trading policies—could be potentially helpful. The consensus amongst most economists is that such a policy is detrimental, and point to the mercantilism of the pre-industrial era as the classic example. Others argue that as the world's biggest consumer, with its own natural resources, the U.S. can wisely dictate what conditions can apply to goods and services imported for U.S. consumption, misunderstanding the nature of prices and their emergent, non-centrally planned, nature. Countries and regions generally enjoy a comparative advantage over others in some area. Free trade between countries allows each country to do what it does best, and benefit from the products and services that others do best. But "best" too often means monetary, excluding human and ecological costs, due to firms externalizing costs as a result of inadequately defined property rights. Protectionism allegedly interferes in the market process, making people poorer than they would be otherwise.

[edit] Isolationism by country

[edit] Bhutan

Before 1999, Bhutan had banned television and internet to preserve its culture, environment, its identity etc. Eventually, Jigme Singye Wangchuck lifted the ban on Television and Internet. His son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was elected as Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan which is being transformed into a democracy.

[edit] China

After the Zheng He voyages in the 14th century, the foreign policy of the Ming Dynasty in China became increasingly isolationist. Hongwu Emperor was the first to propose the policy to ban all maritime shipping in 1371.^[2] The Qing Dynasty that came after the Ming often continued the latter dynasty's isolationist policies. Wokou or Japanese pirates were one of the key primary concerns, although the maritime ban was not without some control.

At the end of China’s bloody civil war , in the early and mid 1900s, the country quickly closed off its borders to many outside countries and only maintained diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union. For a period of time the Chinese attempted to become self reliant, but found that in doing so the country could not break even economically, especially when attempting to maintain a communist vision when it came to economics. In the 1970s the People Republic of China began large radical economic reforms, which forced the country from a zero competition nation to one of the most capitalistic in the world. In doing so it quickly began to open its borders to the trade of various other countries thus adding itself to a global trade economy. While the government still regulates many of the countries cultural interactions with others, it is very open to the concept of an open market and competition with other countries, allowing the flow of technological innovations to flow in and out of its borders freely.

[edit] Japan

From 1641 to 1853, the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan enforced a policy which it called kaikin. The policy prohibited foreign contact with most outside countries. However, the commonly held idea that Japan was entirely closed is misleading. In fact, Japan maintained limited-scale trade and diplomatic relations with China, Korea, the Ryukyu Islands and the Netherlands.^[3]

The culture of Japan developed with limited influence from the outside world and had one of the longest stretches of peace in history. During this period, Japan developed thriving cities and castle towns and increasing commodification of agriculture and domestic trade,^[4] wage labor, increasing literacy and concomitant print culture,^[5] laying the groundwork for modernization, even as the shogunate itself grew weak.^[6]

[edit] Korea

[edit] Joseon Dynasty

In 1863, King Gojong took the throne of Joseon Dynasty when he was a child. His father, Regent Heungseon Daewongun, ruled for him until Gojong reached adulthood. During the mid 1860s he was the main proponent of isolationism and the instrument of the persecution of native and foreign Catholics.

[edit] North Korea

The foreign relations of North Korea are often tense and unpredictable. Since the Korean Armistice Agreement ended the Korean War in 1953, the North Korean government has been largely isolationist, becoming one of the world's most authoritarian societies. While no formal peace treaty exists between North and South Korea, both diplomatic discussions and clashes have occurred between the two. North Korea has maintained close relations with China and often limited ones with other nations. They have banned all media from other countries (such as video games, newspapers, and goods), especially South Korea and the United States and smuggling these products is illegal.

[edit] Paraguay

Just after independence was achieved, Paraguay was governed from 1814 by the dictator Dr. Francia, who closed the borders of the country and prohibited trade or any relation with the exterior until his death in 1840. Francia had a particular dislike of foreigners, and the recently pre-independence settled Spanish had to inter-marry with either the old colonists or the Guarani, to create a single Paraguayan people. Any foreigner who came to Paraguay during his rule (which would've been very difficult) was not allowed to leave for the rest of their life. An independent character, he hated European influences and the church, turning church court yards into artillery parks and confession boxes into border sentry posts, to keep foreigners at bay.

[edit] Switzerland

Switzerland is well-known for staying neutral in foreign relations. The Swiss did not participate in either WWI or WWII. Switzerland also joined the United Nations much later than most other countries.

[edit] United States

The Term “Isolationism” began to be used around the time of the United States’ independence. Thomas Paine first engrained the concept into many of the new country’s leaders through Common Sense. In his pamphlet he pleaded the case of independence from foreign policy and commercial supremacy. George Washington later supported the notion in his Farewell Address by warning the country against any permanent alliances that would force the country into a war that they need not be in. This policy was then supported by all of Washington’s successors and was again made very clear in the Monroe Doctrine stating, “In the wars of the European powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken part, nor does it comport with our policy to do so.” ^[7] History shows that the US continued to fight in wars with various countries while implementing this policy and still with in its basic standards. The United States only chose to fight different countries so that they could maintain or expand their borders, but again with the concept that it would be best to expand them in order to later maintain them. This is referring to various wars and skirmishes with Mexico, Spain, and Britain which later spread the United States’ borders to the Pacific, and gained Florida as well. Through this hundred year time period, there was only one treaty with a foreign nation that broke the Isolationist policy of the United States. It was only when World War I broke out that the United States found itself breaking with traditional Isolationist policy entirely and helping various countries in Europe fight back the Germans. This is the beginning of the break down of United States’ foreign policy from then on there is a constant struggle between political parties on rather or not the US should abandon its long standing Isolationist policy, once the Axis began to rise to power once again in Europe, that policy reached its breaking point with various acts passed by congress at the demand of President Roosevelt as well as various executive decisions by him. Aid was soon pouring in from the US on both fronts of the war and the US quickly established various treaties and alliances. The final straw for Isolationism occurred when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, any and all resistance that was seen by pro isolationist vanished and the US was ushered into World War II and a new age in foreign policy.

[edit] See also

• Imperium
• Monroe Doctrine
• Non-intervention
• Non-interventionism
• Sakoku
• United States non-interventionism

[edit] Works cited

[edit] References

• Chalberg, John C. Isolationism : opposing viewpoints. San Diego : Greenhaven Press,

1995. Print.

• Graebner, Norman A. The new isolationism; a study in politics and foreign policy since

1950. New York: Ronald Press Co. 1956. Print.

• Nordlinger, Eric A. Isolationism reconfigured : American foreign policy for a new

century. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1995. Print.

• Barry, Tom. “A Global Affairs Commentary: The Terms of Power” (Foreign Policy in Focus, November 6, 2002), University Press.
• Toby, Ronald P. (1984) 1991. State and Diplomacy in Early Modern Japan: Asia in the Development of the Tokugawa Bakufu. Stanford ed. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press.
• White House, The. The National Security Strategy of The United States. (September 2002)