The Us in the Caribbean

(i) “In the early years of the twentieth century, American policy was describes as a “big stick” policy, because of the aggressive nature of its attitude toward the developing Caribbean republics.”[1] In the early 1900s, United States President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to dominate economic and military power in the Caribbean and Latin American region and felt that the best way to do so was by being assertive and aggressive in developing the Caribbean. The Big Stick Policy was derived from Roosevelt’s favourite African proverb “Speak softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far”[2]. In foreign dealings, Roosevelt would pressure the countries to do what he wanted them to do. The policy incorporated the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which was a document that stated the necessity for the United States to intervene in affairs of the Caribbean and Latin America. The United States wanted to ensure that there was no European intervention and that democracy was maintained in these countries. “The Corollary asserted that in order to prevent European intervention, the US must help the Caribbean republics to do away with the political instability and financial mismanagement that invited European intervention.”[3] A classic example of the Big Stick Policy was the construction of the Panama Canal.
b) From 1900-1916, The United States policy of “Dollar Diplomacy” was applied to Haiti. The Dollar Diplomacy “was interpreted as an attempt by the US government to control Caribbean countries via investment.”[4] This foreign policy was created by President William Howard Taft “to ensure the financial stability of a region while protecting and extending the commercial and financial interests of the United States.”[5] . The US would put pressure under Caribbean and Latin America to borrow money from American banks instead of European banks. The US however was replacing Europe with themselves. America would then pressure countries to run their government to America’s... [continues]

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