In regards to decisions affecting foreign policy, how did Jefferson’s actions as President validate or contradict his philosophical views as a Democratic-Republican?
http://millercenter.org/president/jefferson/essays/biography/5
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Jeffersonian+Republicans
To understand how Jefferson's actions as President validated or contradicted his philosophical views as a Democratic-Republican, we need to examine his foreign policy decisions and compare them to the key principles of the Democratic-Republican Party.
1. Limited Government: Democratic-Republicans advocated for limited government intervention in both domestic and foreign affairs. Jefferson's presidency generally aligned with this principle by emphasizing a more restrained approach to foreign policy. For example, he reduced military spending, scaled back the navy, and focused on diplomacy rather than military intervention.
2. Strict Constructionism: Democratic-Republicans believed in interpreting the Constitution narrowly, adhering strictly to its enumerated powers. While Jefferson supported this principle in domestic policy, his actions in foreign affairs occasionally contradicted it. For instance, the Louisiana Purchase, where Jefferson acquired a vast territory from France, required a broad interpretation of the executive's powers as granted by the Constitution.
3. Non-Interventionism: Jefferson favored a policy of non-intervention in foreign conflicts and alliances. He believed that America should avoid entangling alliances and focus on its own development. His actions, such as the Embargo Act of 1807, aimed to prevent the United States from being drawn into the Napoleonic Wars. However, the embargo ultimately proved ineffective and contradicted the principle of free trade that the Democratic-Republicans valued.
4. Agrarian Ideal: Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans celebrated an agrarian society and feared the corrupting influence of urbanization and industrialization. While Jefferson focused on westward expansion and agricultural development during his presidency, his policies also encouraged economic growth and supported infrastructure like roads and canals, which contradicted the party's agrarian ideal.
Overall, while Jefferson generally aligned his foreign policy decisions with the Democratic-Republican principles of limited government and non-interventionism, some of his actions, such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act, contradicted the strict constructionist interpretation of the Constitution and the party's preference for agrarian values. Therefore, his actions as president sometimes validated, and at other times contradicted, his philosophical views as a Democratic-Republican.