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Big stick ideology
Big stick ideology (also known as big stick diplomacy, big stick philosophy, or big stick policy) was a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The terms are derived from an aphorism which Roosevelt often said: "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far". The American press during his time, as well as many modern historians today, used the term "big stick" to describe the foreign policy positions during his administration. Roosevelt described his style of foreign policy as "the exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive action sufficiently far in advance of any likely crisis". As practiced by Roosevelt, big stick diplomacy had five components. First, it was essential to possess serious military capability that would force the adversary to pay close attention. At the time that meant a world-class navy. The other qualities were to act justly toward other nations, never to bluff, to strike only when prepared to strike hard, and to be willing to allow the adversary to save face in defeat.
The idea is negotiating peacefully but also having strength in case things go wrong. Simultaneously threatening with the "big stick", or the military, ties in heavily with the idea of Realpolitik, which implies a pursuit of political power that resembles Machiavellian ideals. It is comparable to gunboat diplomacy, as used in international politics by the powers.
The term derives from the phrase, Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far, which Roosevelt claimed was a West African proverb, although there is little evidence for that. Roosevelt (then Governor of New York), in a bout of happiness after forcing New York's Republican committee to pull support away from a corrupt financial adviser, wrote to Henry L. Sprague a letter dated January 26, 1900, in which he said:
I have always been fond of the West African proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
He first publicly uttered the phrase in March of the same year in relation to his reputation for holding state Senators accountable. Roosevelt added clarification to the meaning of the saying.
If you simply speak softly the other man will bully you. If you leave your stick at home you will find the other man did not. If you carry the stick only and forget to speak softly in nine cases out of ten, the other man will have a bigger stick.
Roosevelt would go on to be elected Vice President later that year and subsequently used the aphorism in an address to the Minnesota State Fair entitled "National Duties" on September 2, 1901:
A good many of you are probably acquainted with the old proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick—you will go far."
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Big stick ideology
Big stick ideology (also known as big stick diplomacy, big stick philosophy, or big stick policy) was a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The terms are derived from an aphorism which Roosevelt often said: "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far". The American press during his time, as well as many modern historians today, used the term "big stick" to describe the foreign policy positions during his administration. Roosevelt described his style of foreign policy as "the exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive action sufficiently far in advance of any likely crisis". As practiced by Roosevelt, big stick diplomacy had five components. First, it was essential to possess serious military capability that would force the adversary to pay close attention. At the time that meant a world-class navy. The other qualities were to act justly toward other nations, never to bluff, to strike only when prepared to strike hard, and to be willing to allow the adversary to save face in defeat.
The idea is negotiating peacefully but also having strength in case things go wrong. Simultaneously threatening with the "big stick", or the military, ties in heavily with the idea of Realpolitik, which implies a pursuit of political power that resembles Machiavellian ideals. It is comparable to gunboat diplomacy, as used in international politics by the powers.
The term derives from the phrase, Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far, which Roosevelt claimed was a West African proverb, although there is little evidence for that. Roosevelt (then Governor of New York), in a bout of happiness after forcing New York's Republican committee to pull support away from a corrupt financial adviser, wrote to Henry L. Sprague a letter dated January 26, 1900, in which he said:
I have always been fond of the West African proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
He first publicly uttered the phrase in March of the same year in relation to his reputation for holding state Senators accountable. Roosevelt added clarification to the meaning of the saying.
If you simply speak softly the other man will bully you. If you leave your stick at home you will find the other man did not. If you carry the stick only and forget to speak softly in nine cases out of ten, the other man will have a bigger stick.
Roosevelt would go on to be elected Vice President later that year and subsequently used the aphorism in an address to the Minnesota State Fair entitled "National Duties" on September 2, 1901:
A good many of you are probably acquainted with the old proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick—you will go far."