Earl C. Ravenal
Abstract: This article examines the interconnected relationship between diplomatic style, domestic constraints, and foreign policy objectives. This relationship is assessed using the Nixon-Kissinger administration as a case study. Following the Watergate scandal, many scholars and policy analysts who had previously lauded the foreign policy objectives of the Nixon-Kissinger administration suddenly became critical of the manipulative and coercive diplomatic style in which these initiatives were conducted. However, the author argues that the goals of foreign policy, the diplomatic style of prominent actors, and the domestic constraints imposed on them are all inseparable, interrelated factors. Furthermore, the article argues that a nation’s foreign policy options are restrained by several factors, including the administrative style of the executive, constitutional forces, public opinion, and the degree of consensus among domestic institutions, such as Congress and the armed forces. After an analysis of the factors that shaped the Nixon-Kissinger administration, this article suggests that the United States is entering a period of maturity in foreign policy, likely to be characterized by a sparing deployment of military resources and a sophisticated blend of diplomacy and war; establishing the image of a consolidated American empire.
Keywords: Nixon, Kissinger, foreign policy, public opinion, diplomacy, Watergate, democracy
You must be logged in to post a comment.