American foreign policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

American foreign policy - Essay Example heir own spheres of influence, thus playing a role in shaping the final outcome within the policy making process. Keeping in line with what Robert Divine had once remarked, â€Å"From the Revolution to the Cold War, Americans have been willing to fight for their interests, their beliefs, and their ambitions† (Divine, 1965, 172), there are clear evidences which suggest that the American foreign policies after the WWII, have roots in its domestic issues, concerns, and interests. Various researches on the subject of US international relations have distinguished 3 specific factors that appear to exert their influences on the foreign policies of the country, especially after the end of the WWII. ... Discussion The official goals of US foreign policies as stated by the government, are "to create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community" (US department of state and U.S. Agency for International Development, 2007). While examining the factors that work towards achieving these goals, the first potent question that arises in one’s mind is the fundamental query as to â€Å"who governs?†(Dahl, 1961) This question has been the subject of many studies, related to American politics, and has given rise to many debates within the realms of international relations. The question in the arena of international relations relates to the general attributes of the so called ‘domestic roots’ that help to shape US foreign policies; the democratic aspects in the behaviour of US towards other countries, globally; and whether its national concerns and interests aid in shaping its foreign policies. By seeking an answer to the basic question as to which of these factors actually influence the US government officials the most, would help the reader to understand the determinants of the country’s foreign policies. In this context, we will first examine the 3 main factors considered to have a strong influence in the shaping of US foreign policies. Theories on the nature of the influence of public opinion: Median voter theory contends that the voter preferences for any government policy have a strong influence on the state officials, as these preferences often turn out to be the deciding factor during the electoral results. Various researches and the subsequent