Great Power Rising

This book examines the relationship between domestic politics and Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy. It argues that, in spite of the complicated nature of the US system, with its overlapping powers, intense partisanship, and continuous scrutiny from the media and public, Roosevelt mostly succeeded in implementing his agenda. In the process, it contends, he played a crucial role in the nation’s rise to world power. The book places particular emphasis on four factors: Roosevelt’s compelling vision for national greatness, political skill, faith in the people and the US system, and emphasis on presidential leadership. It finds that public sentiment was not isolationist, as some historians have argued, but was willing to support all of TR’s major objectives. Roosevelt’s feel for the national mood was also crucial, as was his willingness to compromise or change his views when necessary. Topics covered by the book include Roosevelt’s early career in politics; relations with great powers such as Britain, Germany, and Japan; the Monroe Doctrine, the Roosevelt Corollary, and Latin America; the impact of immigration from China and Japan; and World War I.