United States support of authoritarian regimes

The United States government has provided material support to authoritarian regimes.

Although many believe that this contradicted the political ideals espoused by the U.S. following the Cold War, American officials supported such regimes because they believed that it would bolster U.S. interests abroad, and stimulate economic development.^[1]

During the Cold War, the United States government supported authoritarian regimes that it felt would help prevent the spread of communism.^[2][3]

In recent years, many policy analysts and commentators have expressed support for this type of policy, believing that regional stability is more important than democracy.^[4][5]

Often, when U.S.-supported authoritarian regimes are removed from power, a widespread anti-U.S. sentiment prevails amongst people who suffered under the regime.^[6]

The United States continues to support authoritarian regimes today. However, international relations scholar David Skidmore believes that increased public pressure is motivating a shift away from supporting authoritarian regimes, and towards supporting more consensual regimes instead.^[7]

Regimes supported

• Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran, 1953-1979
• Ferdinand Marcos, Philippines, 1965-1986

[8][not in citation given][9]

See also

• United States foreign policy
• Dictatorships and Double Standards
• Reagan doctrine
• Bush doctrine

References

1. ^ DeConde, Alexander et al., ed (2001). "Dictatorships". Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy, Volume 1. Simon & Schuster. p. 499. ISBN 9780684806570. http://books.google.com/books?id=h7dG-pVarDAC&pg=PA499. 
2. ^ Adams, Francis (2003). Deepening democracy: global governance and political reform in Latin America. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 31. ISBN 9780275979713. http://books.google.com/books?id=CXZCdsSlRLcC&pg=PA31. 
3. ^ McMahon, Robert J. (1999). The limits of empire: the United States and Southeast Asia since World War II. Columbia University Press. p. 205. ISBN 9780231108805. http://books.google.com/books?id=7a2WMyTc7YUC&pg=PA205. 
4. ^ Etzioni, Amitai (2007). Security first: for a muscular, moral foreign policy. Yale University Press. p. 50. ISBN 9780300108576. http://books.google.com/books?id=LijhctYIPQQC&pg=PA50. 
5. ^ Beyer, Cornelia (2008). Violent globalisms: conflict in response to empire. Ashgate Publishing. p. 62. ISBN 9780754672050. http://books.google.com/books?id=2EzIySCw9VIC&pg=PA62. 
6. ^ Steinmetz, Sara (1994). Democratic transition and human rights: perspectives on U.S. foreign policy. SUNY Press. p. 8. ISBN 9780791414330. http://books.google.com/books?id=sO0yihkVEYgC&pg=PA8. 
7. ^ Skidmore, David (1997). Contested social orders and international politics. Vanderbilt University Press. p. 210. ISBN 9780826512840. http://books.google.com/books?id=OW12mnUqGQwC&pg=PA210. 
8. ^ http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/publications/philippines/philippines.html
9. ^ http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/philippines/tl03.html

Further reading

• Blitz, Amy (2000). ""Salvaging" Democracy: The Impact of Authoritarian Rule, 1972-1983". The contested state: American foreign policy and regime change in the Philippines. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780847699346. http://books.google.com/books?id=n2rdOhMdCDEC&pg=PA117. 
• Canterbury, Dennis C. (2005). Neoliberal democratization and new authoritarianism. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 9780754643470. http://books.google.com/books?id=OeJG5TF5T7IC. 
• Carpenter, Ted Galen (August 15, 1985). "The United States and Third World Dictatorships: A Case for Benign Detachment". Cato Policy Analysis 58. http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa058.html. 
• Jones, Howard (2009). Crucible of power: A history of American foreign relations from 1945. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780742564541. http://books.google.com/books?id=vIEL5urrMXYC. 
• Kofas, Jon V. (2003). Under the eagle's claw: exceptionalism in postwar U.S.-Greek relations. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780275976231. http://books.google.com/books?id=qCP1XTsRHpQC. 
• Robinson, William I. (1996). Promoting polyarchy: globalization, US intervention, and hegemony. Cambridge University Press. p. 113. ISBN 9780521566919. http://books.google.com/books?id=SSjzaNssgAQC. 
• Schmitz, David F. (1999). Thank God they're on our side: the United States and right-wing dictatorships, 1921-1965. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0807847732. http://books.google.com/books?id=gmF21bDO2gAC. 
• Sluka, Jeffrey A., editor (1999). Death Squad: The Anthropology of State Terror. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-1711-7. 
• Wright, Thomas C. (February 28, 2007). State Terrorism in Latin America: Chile, Argentina, and International Human Rights. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.. ISBN 978-0742537217.