The domestic formation of United States policy towards the Barbary powers, 1784-1808

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Douglas Alan Scott (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Richard Current

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of American policy towards the Barbary States in terras of domestic political opinion and partisan debate. Previous studies have been primarily concerned with naval policy or diplomatic negotiation. The method followed was to evaluate the previous scholarly literature and the opinions of the primary actors in the policy formation process, through their published writings. The goal of this method was to obtain a clear picture of the domestic political significance of the establishment of a policy towards the Barbary States. It was found that the American policy began as a nonpartisan political problem that evolved during the debates over the nature of the Constitution and the establishment of a navy into a partisan issue. The policy was associated with the grand issues upon which the political factions differentiated themselves. A policy of inaction resulted when the Barbary issue became submerged under more pressing political problems: the policy was held in stasis by equality of support and rejection by the political factions. An active policy was initiated by Jefferson. The particulars of his relationship to the Barbary issue and to both political factions allowed him to return the issue to a nonpartisan status, by Executive action.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 1976

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