“In the field of world policy, I would dedicate this Nation to the policy of the good neighbor—the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and, because he does so, respects the rights of others—the neighbor who respects his obligations and respects the sanctity of his agreements in and with a world of neighbors.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered these powerful words during his first inaugural address in 1933. This statement became the cornerstone of the “Good Neighbor Policy.” It marked a significant shift in United States foreign relations. Specifically, it changed how the U.S. interacted with Latin America. For decades, the U.S. had often intervened in the affairs of its southern neighbors. Policies like the Monroe Doctrine and Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” diplomacy justified military force. However, FDR’s approach promised mutual respect and non-intervention. This article explores the genesis of this transformative policy. We will examine the personal, economic, and global forces that shaped Roosevelt’s vision for a new era of hemispheric cooperation.
FDR’s Evolving Worldview
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s journey toward the Good Neighbor Policy was not immediate. In fact, his early career showed a more conventional, interventionist stance. As Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Woodrow Wilson, he was involved in U.S. occupations of countries like Haiti and the Dominican Republic. At that time, he supported using American power to maintain stability and protect U.S. interests in the region. His views were in line with the prevailing political climate.
However, his perspective began to change throughout the 1920s. After his unsuccessful run for vice president in 1920 and his subsequent battle with polio, Roosevelt had time for reflection. He started to question the effectiveness and morality of military intervention. He saw that forced occupations often created resentment rather than stability. Furthermore, he recognized that a new approach based on cooperation could be more beneficial for long-term U.S. interests. This personal evolution laid the intellectual groundwork for the policy he would later champion as president.
The Great Depression’s Domestic Pressure
The Great Depression was a crucial catalyst for the Good Neighbor Policy. When Roosevelt took office in 1933, the United States was facing an unprecedented economic crisis. Millions of Americans were unemployed. The nation’s focus turned sharply inward. Consequently, the government had to prioritize domestic recovery through the New Deal. There was little public appetite or financial capacity for expensive foreign military adventures.
This economic reality made non-intervention a practical necessity. The U.S. could no longer afford the costs of policing the hemisphere. Instead, Roosevelt and his administration sought to build economic bridges. They believed that fostering trade and economic partnerships with Latin American nations would be more effective. This new strategy would help both the U.S. and its neighbors recover from the depression. Thus, economic self-interest aligned perfectly with the policy’s non-interventionist ideals.
A Shield Against Global Threats
While domestic issues were paramount, a darkening international scene also influenced FDR’s thinking. In the 1930s, aggressive fascist regimes were rising in Europe and Asia. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan posed a growing threat to global peace. Roosevelt understood that in the event of a major conflict, securing the Western Hemisphere would be a strategic imperative. He needed to ensure that no foreign power could gain a foothold in the Americas.
To achieve this, he needed the voluntary cooperation of Latin American nations. Source The old policies of intervention had only bred distrust and anti-American sentiment. Therefore, a new policy of respect and partnership was essential to build hemispheric solidarity. The Good Neighbor Policy was designed to unify the Americas against external threats. By promising not to intervene, the U.S. hoped to earn the trust and collaboration of its neighbors, creating a more secure continent.
Putting Policy into Practice
The Roosevelt administration quickly translated its words into concrete actions. One of the first major steps was the withdrawal of U.S. Marines from Nicaragua in 1933 and Haiti in 1934. These moves provided tangible proof of the U.S. commitment to ending its military occupations. Another landmark action was the 1934 abrogation of the Platt Amendment. This amendment, in place since 1901, had given the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs. Its removal was a powerful symbol of Cuba’s restored sovereignty.
Furthermore, the U.S. formally endorsed the principle of non-intervention at the Montevideo Convention in 1933. At this conference of American states, Secretary of State Cordell Hull declared that “no state has the right to intervene in the internal or external affairs of another.” This pledge was a radical departure from past U.S. policy. These actions collectively demonstrated that the Good Neighbor Policy was more than just a slogan; it was a fundamental change in how the U.S. would conduct itself in the hemisphere.
The Legacy of a Good Neighbor
In summary, the genesis of the Good Neighbor Policy was complex. It emerged from the convergence of several powerful forces. These included Franklin D. Roosevelt’s personal philosophical evolution away from interventionism. Additionally, the economic constraints of the Great Depression made a less costly foreign policy essential. Finally, the rising threat of global fascism created a strategic need for hemispheric unity.
The policy represented a profound reorientation of U.S. foreign relations. It replaced the “big stick” with the “good hand” of partnership and mutual respect. While its application was not always perfect and was later challenged by Cold War priorities, the Good Neighbor Policy remains a significant chapter in American diplomacy. It showed that cooperation, not coercion, could be a more effective foundation for international relationships, leaving a lasting legacy on inter-American affairs.