How Did Modernization Theory Influence US Foreign Relations During the Kennedy Administration?
American foreign relations · June–July 2020
The final paper I’ve attached to this personal page is from a history course on 20th Century American Foreign Relations that I was grateful to be a part of, during the summer of 2020. Throughout the 35th President of the United States’ time in office, John F Kennedy’s administration faced a multitude of complex issues, both domestic and foreign.
From navigating the Cuban Missile Crisis to managing Cold War tensions, Kennedy’s time in office was also notable for bold proposals to contain Communist expansion in Asia, focusing on ensuring rapid economic progress in “Third World” developing countries. My paper makes the argument that Modernization theory was utilized to solidify John F. Kennedy’s emphasis on international and economic development through foreign policy, as evidenced by the creation of the Peace Corps and the USAID.
His State of the Union address and thoughts on anti-communism pre-Presidency, however, also reveal that modernization theory was used as an aggressive policy tool to target Communism, shown through the inner workings of the Alliance for Progress program and the Strategic Hamlet Program.