United States Foreign Policy and the Influence of Domestic Actors

United States foreign policy, like the foreign policy of most democratic nations, has long been influenced by internal domestic factors. The desires of such important domestic actors as voters and lobbies carry a large weight in the decision-making process of the president and his foreign policy advisors, just as they do in areas such as the economy and various social issues. The influence of domestic actors outside of the government makes it hard for the United States to adhere strictly to one theory of international relations and to act in accordance with only one set of ideals. Therefore, the United States cannot be analyzed within the context of one international relations theory, but rather through a combination of various international relations theories and the domestic factors facing the nation.

                National leaders and heads of government must consistently play a two-level game between international and domestic politics (Hussain). They must consider many factors, ranging from their own personal desires to the sentiments of the public to the views of the international community. Although leaders may have personal agendas they wish to implement, there is very little they can do if the public and other nations are opposed to the ideas being presented. Thus, there are many different levels on which a political leader must consider the consequences of the actions that he or she may take. For example, President Obama cannot just declare all previously illegal drugs to be legalized without taking into account the opinions of the people as well as both pro- and anti-drug lobbies. Of course, there is an even more basic constraint limiting the powers of the president, and that is the fundamental structure of the United States political system.

                The President of the United States is often perceived to be all-powerful, leading to the common moniker “Leader of the Free World.” Of course, anyone with at least a cursory knowledge of the American government knows that the President cannot just turn his every whim into a new, binding law to which the rest of the country must adhere. The Legislative and Judicial branches are key players in the United States government, and the opinions of everyone involved in both branches must be considered when proposing legislation relating to foreign policy objectives. The system of checks and balances makes sure that the President cannot simply make controversial decisions based on his own personal feelings, but instead must incorporate the views of the American people through the decisions of their elected representatives (Gvosdev).

                The two-level game that the President of the United States must play results in increased international interest in American politics. There was much controversy over the comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu before the 2012 United States Presidential Election, in which it appeared that the Prime Minister was heavily supporting a Mitt Romney victory (Sherwood). Netanyahu denied claims that he was essentially campaigning for the Republican candidate, but some members of the political media have stated that it would make sense for the heavily realist nation of Israel to support the candidate who best served Israeli interests (Sherwood). The United States has engaged in this types of behaviors before, as evidenced by our involvement in Vietnam and the nations of South America in the 20^th century.

                In conclusion, the domestic politics and actors of the United States have a huge impact on the foreign policy of the nation, as do the opinions and leaders of other nations. Public opinion is incredibly important in a democratic society, as the President and other elected officials are held accountable by their constituents. Lobbies exert power to influence the decision-making of government officials in ways that would be most sympathetic to the interest group they represent. The leaders of other nations will influence elections in ways to make the political system of the United States reflect the ideals they would like it to represent. Thus, the United States cannot be simply analyzed through the lens of international relations theory, but also must be examined through the influence of domestic and non-state actors as well.

Works Cited

Gvosdev, Nikolas. "Foreign Policy Is Domestic Policy | The National Interest."The National Interest. N.p., 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/foreign-policy-domestic-policy-7474>.

Hussain, Zaara. "The Effect of Domestic Politics on Foreign Policy Making." e-International Relations. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <www.e-ir.info/2011/02/07/the-effect-of-domestic-politics-on-foreign-policy-decision-making/>.

Sherwood, Harriet. " Binyamin Netanyahu faces risk of 'payback' after Barack Obama victory | World news | guardian.co.uk ." The Guardian. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/07/binyamin-netanyahu-barack-obama-victory>.

Sherwood, Harriet. " Binyamin Netanyahu gambles on Mitt Romney victory | World news | guardian.co.uk ." The Guardian. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/20/binyamin-netanyahu-gambles-on-mitt-romney>.