In Albert Beveridge’s address “America’s Destiny” . he argues for the U. S. to maintain the Philippines after winning it from Spain in 1900. The U. S. was believing about returning it to Spain or perchance giving it independency. but Beveridge and the imperialists advised otherwise. With control over the Philippines Beveridge saw an chance to procure an Asiatic imperium with entree to Asiatic markets and naval control over the Pacific. He even felt it to be America’s “destiny” to hold a hereafter strong relationship with the Far East. In add-on to benefits to the U. S. . he claimed America to hold the responsibility of assisting the people of undeveloped lands such as the Filipinos. However. Beveridge makes premises based on Anglo-Saxon domination that can non be looked over. He does non see the wants and freedoms of the Filipinos and assumes that the U. S. has the right to take over another state of people. While Beveridge has strong. attractive statements to maintain the Philippines: entree to Asiatic markets and naval control over the Pacific for the hereafter. he assumes that the Filipinos are inferior and need to be improved ; he does non take in to account whether the Filipino people really would be willing and eager to allow the U. S. command their land and authorities.
In his address. Beveridge delivers a strong economic and military statement for maintaining the Philippines. He argues that control over the Philippines gives the U. S. an chance that can non be passed up: entree to the Far East’s “illimitable markets” to travel along with naval control over the Pacific for the hereafter. To Beveridge. the future success of America’s economic system was reliant on commercial success in Asia. He claims that China would be a perfect and “natural customer” of the U. S. ’s increasing excess fabricating goods coming from the current Industrial Revolution. If the U. S. were to busy the Philippines. China would go a natural neighbour as it would really now be closer than Europe. European powers have settlements to fabricate goods to. so in order to maintain up. the U. S. needs to a neighbour to merchandise with. Beveridge besides points out that bases at the Philippines would give the U. S. naval domination in the Pacific which would be really utile in the hereafter. The U. S. would obtain a commercial monopoly in East and Southeast Asia and would hold military control over an full half of the universe. which would do for a immense advantage in war. In general. a Pacific imperium would counter-act the great European imperiums that had already claimed settlements in Africa. India. Latin America. India. the Middle East. and elsewhere.
While Beveridge’s chief motivations in maintaining the Philippines are commercial chance and naval power. he besides puts forth the thought that the U. S. has the responsibility to better undeveloped civilisations. This was non uncommon during the clip period ; other European imperiums justified their settlements as portion of their program to develop the remainder of the universe. This position was characterized in English poet Rudyard Kipling’s celebrated verse form “The White Man’s Burden” . Beveridge portions this belief. He believes that the Anglo-Saxon race is responsible to extinguish “chaos” in states that do non hold stable authoritiess. He claims it to be America’s responsibility in peculiar ; that we are God’s “chosen people” . for merely America is strong plenty for such a undertaking as taking “the regeneration of the world” . This thought of America being superior roots back from the “city on a hill” political orientation held by the Puritans back in the seventeenth Century.
During the contention. the Filipinos were labeled as one of the people’s that needed to be civilized. Like other Americans. Beveridge viewed them as “children” and a “race which civilisation demands be improved” . However. while Beveridge’s contemplation seems nice. his statement turns out to be comparatively weak if it is seen from another position. In world he is a racialist and is really taking to repress other people for his ain benefit. Beveridge’s policy towards the Filipinos is based off a gross outing belief of white domination. While says he wants to assist the Filipinos. he fails to recognize that they ne’er really asked for aid. Like other imperial states throughout history. he seems to believe that developed states have the right and responsibility to step in in other states and assumes that the people of those states are willing to be subjugated. ruled by a race wholly different from themselves. and even in some instances stripped of their civilization.
While imperial states claim to be seeking to help in the development of those states. they ever have selfish motivations behind it. like seeking to derive resources. acquire entree to new markets. or addition land to put military bases. As it turns out. the U. S. ended up maintaining the Philippines but did non really give it independence. Like Beveridge says. they are “children” and “are non capable for self-government” . As one would foretell. unhappy with their subjugation. the Filipinos ended up arising under their leader Emilio Aguinaldo. and instead than assisting the Filipinos. the U. S. army really ended up slaughtering guiltless people to maintain order. In his address imploring the U. S. to maintain the Philippines. “America’s Destiny” . Albert Beveridge delivers a strong. logical statement indicating out how control over the Philippines would give the U. S. new entree to Asiatic markets and naval domination over the Pacific in the hereafter. He besides argues that it is America’s God-given responsibility to assist develop the remainder of humanity into strong. stable states. However. if one looks closely. Beveridge turns out to be a racialist and fails to see the existent wellbeing and rights of the Filipino people.
