Isolationism is a term used to refer to apolitical philosophy advocating aforeign policy that opposes involvement in the political affairs, andespecially the wars, of other countries. Thus, isolationism fundamentally advocatesneutrality and opposes entanglement in militaryalliances and mutual defense pacts. In its purest form, isolationism opposes all commitments to foreign countries, includingtreaties andtrade agreements.[1] In the political science lexicon, there is also the term of “non-interventionism”, which is sometimes improperly used to replace the concept of “isolationism”.[2] “Non-interventionism” is commonly understood as “a foreign policy of political or military non-involvement in foreign relations or in other countries’ internal affairs”.[3] “Isolationism” should be interpreted more broadly as “a foreign policygrand strategy of military and political non-interference in international affairs and in the internal affairs of sovereign states, associated with trade and economicprotectionism and cultural and religious isolation, as well as with the inability to be in permanentmilitary alliances, with the preservation, however, some opportunities to participate in temporary military alliances that meet the current interests of the state and in permanentinternational organizations of a non-military nature”.[4]
This contrasts with philosophies such ascolonialism,expansionism, andliberal internationalism.
Isolationism has been defined as:
A policy or doctrine of trying to isolate one's country from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances, foreign economic commitments, international agreements, and generally attempting to make one's economy entirely self-reliant; seeking to devote the entire efforts of one's country to its own advancement, both diplomatically and economically, while remaining in a state of peace by avoiding foreign entanglements and responsibilities.[5]
Before 1999,Bhutan had bannedtelevision and theInternet in order to preserve its culture, environment, and identity.[6] Eventually,Jigme Singye Wangchuck lifted the ban on television and the Internet. His son,Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, was elected Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan, which helped forge theBhutanese democracy.Bhutan has subsequently undergone a transition from anabsolute monarchy to aconstitutional monarchymulti-partydemocracy. The development ofBhutanese democracy has been marked by the active encouragement and participation of the reigningBhutanese monarchs since the 1950s, beginning with legal reforms, and culminating in the enactment ofBhutan's Constitution.[7]
Tourism in Bhutan was prohibited until 1974. Since then, the country has allowed foreigners to visit, but has tightly controlled tourism in an effort to preserve its natural and cultural heritage. As of 2022,[update] tourists must pay a $200 per day fee on top of other travel expenses such as meals and accommodation. Prior to 2022, visitors were not allowed to travel independently and had to be accompanied by atour guide.[8] As of 2021,[update] Bhutan does not maintain formalforeign relations with any of the fivepermanent members of the UN Security Council, notably includingChina, its neighbor to the north with which it has ahistorically tense relationship.[9]
From 1431 to 1863, theKingdom of Cambodia enforced an isolationist policy. The policy prohibited foreign contact with most outside countries. WhenPol Pot and theKhmer Rouge came to power on 17 April 1975 and establishedDemocratic Kampuchea, the urban population of every city, includingPhnom Penh, was relocated to the countryside. This was ordered by theCommunist Party of Kampuchea and the secret policeSantebal, and they then established an infamous prison gulag inside the torture chamber calledTuol Sleng (S-21). Cambodia proceeded to implement theYear Zero policy, hastening isolation from the rest of the world. Ultimately, the authority of the Khmer Rouge and its isolationist policy would collapse in 1978 when theVietnamese invaded the country and then overthrew Pol Pot on 7 January 1979.
AfterZheng He's voyages in the 15th century, the foreign policy of theMing dynasty inChina became increasingly isolationist. TheHongwu Emperor was not the first to propose the policy to ban all maritime shipping in 1390.[10] TheQing dynasty that came after the Ming dynasty often continued the Ming dynasty's isolationist policies.Wokou, which literally translates to "Japanese pirates" or "dwarf pirates", were pirates who raided the coastlines of China, Japan, and Korea, and were one of the key primary concerns, although the maritime ban was not without some control.
In the winter of 1757, theQianlong Emperor declared that—effective the next year—Guangzhou was to be the only Chinese port permitted to foreign traders, beginning theCanton System.[11]
Since the division of the territory following theChinese Civil War in 1949, China is divided into two regimes with thePeople's Republic of China solidified control onmainland China while the existingRepublic of China was confined to theisland of Taiwan as both governments lay claim to each other's sovereignty. While the PRC is recognized by theUnited Nations,European Union, and the majority of the world's states, the ROC remains diplomatically isolated although 15 states recognize it as "China" with some countries maintaining unofficial diplomatic relations throughtrade offices.[12][13]
From 1641 to 1853, theTokugawa shogunate ofJapan enforced a policy calledkaikin. The policy prohibited foreign contact with most outside countries. The commonly held idea that Japan was entirely closed, however, is misleading. In fact, Japan maintained limited-scale trade and diplomatic relations withChina,Korea, and theRyukyu Islands, as well as theDutch Republic as the only Western trading partner of Japan for much of the period.[14][15]
The culture of Japan developed with limited influence from the outside world and had one of the longest stretches of peace in history. During this period, Japan developed thriving cities, castle towns, increasing commodification of agriculture and domestic trade,[16] wage labor, increasing literacy and concomitantprint culture,[17] laying the groundwork for modernization even as the shogunate itself grew weak.[18]
In 1863,Emperor Gojong took the throne of theJoseon Dynasty when he was a child. His father, RegentHeungseon Daewongun, ruled for him until Gojong reached adulthood. During the mid-1860s he was the main proponent of isolationism and the principal instrument of the persecution of both native and foreign Catholics.
Following thedivision of the peninsula after independence fromJapan at theend of World War II,Kim Il Sung inaugurated an isolationistnationalist regime in theNorth, which would continued by hisson andgrandson followinghis death in 1994.[19]
In 1814, three years afterit gained its independence on May 14, 1811, Paraguay was taken over by thedictatorJosé Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia. During his rule which lasted from 1814 until his death in 1840, he closed Paraguay's borders and prohibited trade or any relationship between Paraguay and the outside world. TheSpanish settlers who had arrived in Paraguay just before it gained its independence were required to marry old colonists or the nativeGuaraní in order to create a singleParaguayan people.
Francia had a particular dislike of foreigners, and any foreigners who attempted to enter the country were not allowed to leave for an indefinite period of time. An independent character, he hated European influences and theCatholic Church and in order to try to keep foreigners at bay, he turned church courtyards into artillery parks and turned confession boxes into border sentry posts.[19]
Some scholars, such asRobert J. Art, believe that the United States had an isolationist history, but most other scholars dispute that claim by describing the United States as following a strategy ofunilateralism ornon-interventionism rather than a strategy of isolationism.[20][21] Robert Art makes his argument inA Grand Strategy for America (2003).[20] Books that have made the argument that the United States followed unilaterism instead of isolationism includeWalter A. McDougall'sPromised Land, Crusader State (1997),John Lewis Gaddis'sSurprise, Security, and the American Experience (2004), andBradley F. Podliska'sActing Alone (2010).[22] Both sides claim policy prescriptions fromGeorge Washington's Farewell Address as evidence for their argument.[20][21] Bear F. Braumoeller argues that even the best case for isolationism, the United States in the interwar period, has been widely misunderstood and that Americans proved willing to fight as soon as they believed a genuine threat existed.[23] Warren F. Kuehl and Gary B. Ostrower argue:
Events during and after the Revolution related to the treaty of alliance with France, as well as difficulties arising over the neutrality policy pursued during the French revolutionary wars and the Napoleonic wars, encouraged another perspective. A desire for separateness and unilateral freedom of action merged with national pride and a sense of continental safety to foster the policy of isolation. Although the United States maintained diplomatic relations and economic contacts abroad, it sought to restrict these as narrowly as possible in order to retain its independence. The Department of State continually rejected proposals for joint cooperation, a policy made explicit in the Monroe Doctrine's emphasis on unilateral action. Not until 1863 did an American delegate attend an international conference.[24]
Isolationism has been criticized for the lack of aiding nations with major troubles. One notable example is that of American isolationism, whichBenjamin Schwartz described as a "tragedy" inspired byPuritanism.[25]
Some modern American conservative commentators assert that labeling others as isolationist is used against individuals in a pejorative manner.[26][27]
