Jacksonian School

1
Jacksonian School
2
Introduction

• Page 95
• Page 97

3
Riding the Tiger

• It isnt fashionable to say so, but the United
  States of America is the most dangerous military
  power in the history of the world. p. 219
• Nevertheless, the American . . thee. p. 220

4
Riding the Tiger

• Yet students of American power cannot ignore one
  of the chief elements in American success The
  United States over its history has consistently
  summoned the will and the means to compel its
  enemies to yield to its demands.
• Warrior Culture all out war p. 223

5
School of Andrew Jackson

• 2nd Amendment Bearing Arms
• Pan-Americana
• Deeply embedded
• Wide spread populist, popular culture of honor
• Independence
• Courage
• Military Pride

6
School of A.J. Cont.

• 10 former generals have become presidents
• Several others were recognized war heroes
• Theodore Roosevelt
• JFK
• George Bush
• Adjustment of roles Post British World Order
  (Post WWII)

7
School of A.J. Cont.

• Hamiltonians Free Trade (Necessity)
• Hegemonic War
• Jeffersonian Great Power Politics
• Support Cold War
• Wilsonian Necessary Hegemony
• Based on others needs

8
School of A.J. Cont.

• Jacksonian Nationalism/Pan-Americana
• Support Cold War
• Suspicious Nature p. 224
• Jacksonians get dogged but . . . Without the
  Jacksonians the United States would be a much
  weaker power, and the other schools would soon
  feel their absence more strongly than they now
  bemoan their views. p.225

9
Jacksonian Folk Community

• Originally identified in contrast to British,
• Mostly Scott-Irish subgroup setting in southern
  United States
• Country music is product of this culture
• Christian
• Warlike culture
• American Revolution and War of 1812
• Expanding folk community Fires of War

10
The Great Assimilation

• Later immigration of Jews, Catholics, and
  Orthodox people
• Collapse of farming families
• Urbanization
• Industrialization
• New middle class group
• Take advantage of Americanization

11
Jacksonian Values

• Moral Code
• Sexual Decency, Loyalty to Family, Corporal
  Punishment, Individual Pride
• Self-Reliance and Self-Fulfillment
• The American Dream
• Individual Freedom
• 1st Amendment

12
Jacksonian Values

• I Love Guns
• 2nd Amendment
• I Love Credit Cards
• Borrowing money and purchasing on credit is a
  right
• Either youre on the bus of youre off the bus
• Distinct line between members and nonmembers of
  the Jacksonian Pact

13
Politics

• Government should promote the political, moral,
  and economic well-being of the folk community
• Distrust Government
• Democratic and Populist
• Defense is a big issue
• Complexity is a negative term

14
Jacksonian Foreign Policy

• In association with
• Ignorance and Irresponsibility
• Trigger happy cowboys
• Most widespread political philosophy in the
  American population

15
Jacksonian Foreign Policy

• Jacksonian political philosophy is often an
  instinct rather than an ideology, a culturally
  shaped outlook that the individual may not have
  worked out intellectually, a set of beliefs and
  emotions rather than a set of ideas. p. 244

16
Realism

• Most sophisticated approach to foreign affairs
• Deeply suspicious of the global meliorist
• Jeffersonians and Jacksonians will stand together
  against Wilsonian or Hamiltonian world-order
  initiatives

17
Pessimism

• While in many ways Jacksonians have an optimistic
  outlook, there is a large and important sense in
  which they are pessimistic. p. 248

18
Pessimism

• Premillennialist
• Utopia is not around the corner
• Money will not create peace on earth
• Roman Catholic Church was Satan on earth
• Kremlin became Satan on earth Cold War

19
Code of Honor

• Important aspect of Jacksonian foreign policy
• Driving wedge between Jacksonians and
  Jeffersonians

20
Code of Honor

• Jacksonian Honor Code requires p. 250-251
• We live up to our commitments
• Security guarantees to other nations
• That we follow through
• Once engaged in a war, we must see it through
  until victorious
• Reputation
• Preserving our reputation during international
  crisis is important to Jacksonians
• Why?
• It will shape the way others treat us

21
War Doctrine

• Two kinds of enemies
• Honorable Fight fairly
• Dishonorable Fight dirty
• Rules of Fair Fighting
• Declare war before beginning combat
• Honoring the flag of truce
• Treat civilians with consideration
• Refrain from mistreatment of POWs
• Treat who surrender with generosity

22
War Doctrine

• Dishonorable Enemies of Jacksonian America
• American Indians during Jacksons time
• Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor
• China and North Korea mistreatment of POWs
• Different nations can have very different ideas
  about what honor is
• Germany is considered an honorable enemy because
  of similar codes of honor (American).

23
War Doctrine

• Three Rules of War
• Fight with all available force
• Save American lives
• Win and only accept unconditional surrender from
  the enemy
• There is no substitute for victory. Gen.
  MacArthur

24
Assessment

• The United States cannot wage a major
  international war without Jacksonian support
  once engaged, politicians cannot safely end the
  war except on Jacksonian terms. p. 259-260

25
Assessment

• Average people can express themselves
• Culturally
• Economically
• Spiritually
• without any inhibition.

26
Assessment

• Problems
• Difference between Hamiltonian/Wilsonian promises
  and Jacksonian performance
• Divided structure of the American government
• House and the Senate
• Jacksonian opinion is slow to focus and slower
  still to make a long-term commitment
• Vietnam
• Persian Gulf