The Monroe Doctrine Turns 200. Why Won’t It Go Away?
The infamous U.S. policy went from being celebrated in Latin America to despised. Today, its chief legacy is confusion.
This article is adapted from AQ's special report on cybersecurity The year was 1823 and the newly independent Latin American republics were under threat. Despite winning diplomatic recognition from the United States, they were not yet safe from possible reconquest by their former European masters. This risk was more than theoretical: The Spanish monarchy was stronger than ever, buoyed by the Holy Alliance of Russia, Prussia and Austria—which helped it stomp out a short-lived constitutional government in Spain in 1823. The U.S. was worried about Europe, too. Russia was laying claim...
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