Abstract

DIAS, Mónica. On American «greatness»: Woodrow Wilson's legacy and the urgency of a new internationalism. Relações Internacionais [online]. 2019, n.63, pp.09-25. ISSN 1645-9199.  https://doi.org/10.23906/ri2019.63a02.

In the last few years, a lot has been said on American “greatness”, prophesized in the name of a new nationalism that is both invoiced against the world and against the global momentum. However, this nationalist appeal seems to rest on a tremendous misunderstanding, since much of the American greatness derives precisely from its liberal internationalism which consolidated 100 years ago and characterized a whole “American century”. In our paper, we will show that the great American prosperity that marked the last century was based on the capacity to project American values declared not as imperial or exclusive narrative, but as shared and liberal challenge towards an international order guided by concepts such as self-determination, collective security and transparent common laws, applied to all peoples of the world. Departing from President Woodrow Wilson`s internationalist and institutionalist worldview, who considered that only pure ignorance could lead to the idea that isolationism would be a safe harbor for the USA, we will focus on the origin of his project for a League of Nations and its ultimate raison d'être in a globalized world – whether in 1919 or today.

Keywords : international order/internationalism; peace and democracy studies; liberalism; international organizations.

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