The Effects of American Imperialism and Manifest Destiny

The purpose of this paper is to discuss immigration and expansion, as well as the mindset of individuals of the early 20th century. This will delve into topics such as American imperialism and Manifest Destiny and the impact they have on workplaces today, how American imperialism may have changed the demographics in the workplace or career field, and how some groups have been impacted by the United State’s immigration and expansion. Though they were “created” early in our nation’s history, the impact is still evident in modern times.

American imperialism “is a term that refers to the economic, military, and cultural influence of the United States on other countries. First popularized during the presidency of James K. Polk, the concept of an “American Empire” was made a reality throughout the latter half of the 1800s. During this time, industrialization caused American businessmen to seek new international markets in which to sell their goods. In addition, the increasing influence of social Darwinism led to the belief that the United States was inherently responsible for bringing concepts such as industry, democracy, and Christianity to less developed “savage” societies. The combination of these attitudes and other factors led the United States toward imperialism” (American Imperialism, 2018). American imperialism can be viewed as being partially engrained in American exceptionalism, which is the idea that the United States is different from other countries due to its mission to spread liberty and democracy across the world. Similarly, the Manifest Destiny also refers to the right of the United States to expand and exert it’s influence over the rest of the world. It was “a phrase coined in 1845, expressed the philosophy that drove 19th-century U.S. territorial expansion. Manifest Destiny held that the United States was destined — by God, its advocates believed — to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent” (Manifest Destiny, 2018). Under these beliefs, which have persisted into modern times, there have been both positive and negative effects for the American people and others. With American imperialism, it paved the way for global modernization, the development of a global defense support, it brought industrialization, resulted in the exchange of traditions, cultural ideologies, and customs, it led to technological advancements, and it helped fuel economic growth. The negative consequences can include: it can cause political feuds, lead to discrimination, it can cause exploitation, it requires a large amount of money to defend more than one nation, and it can be viewed as unnecessary. An example of American imperialism in the workplace can be intellectual imperialism. “Intellectual Imperialism is the exploitation of intellectual capital by focusing our best and brightest scientific and engineering minds on developing innovations in labor saving, rather than life saving, technology. The mindset that only by reducing the number, and cost, of workers can a mature industry remain profitable, is a perception in dire need of change if international labor and human rights standards are to be effectively implemented and enforced”.

As I will be going into the accounting career field, I can see how it may be impacted by American imperialism. Accounting is a career that is surrounded by finances. It could have an impact on purchasing, working, etc. It is important to learn how to deal with income and taxes. While the American people historically went against the British, and their high taxation, we appear to have our own high taxes in modern times. It may be a system in need of improvement, but that may not occur soon. There are fields in which if you discriminate against a client, for example as a real estate agent, you can face disciplinary actions and possibly lose the job (and license).

One group that has historically been impacted by the United States’ immigration and expansion would be the Native Americans. The expansion of the United States saw the loss of nearly everything for the Native Americans. They would lose land and the lives of countless numbers of several tribes, or the entirety of certain tribes. “The great losers in this westward wave were the Native American tribes. Displaced as new settlers moved in, they lost their traditional way of life and were relegated to reservations”.

In conclusion, while there have been benefits taken from American imperialism and Manifest Destiny, it should not be forgotten what it took to get to where the United States is now. The impact of American imperialism and Manifest Destiny is still evident in the 21st century in several areas. If the American imperialism and Manifest Destiny were positive or negative is a matter of one’s opinion, and there may be those who consider it to be both. It is wise to learn from our history and attempt to learn from it.