Capstone Speaker Visits Lawrenceville to Discuss U.S. Foreign Policy

          “The world matters…Yet few Americans pay close attention to it or understand the many connections, some favorable, some anything but, between what goes on in the world and what happens in their country- and few understand the linkages between U.S. foreign policy and what takes place in the world.”

          This quote, written by American diplomat and former president of the Council on Foreign Relations Richard Haas in his 2020 book, The World: A Brief Introduction, was what Dr. John Gans used to begin his March 25 lecture in the Heely Room. Gans, the first Capstone speaker of the year,previously worked at the Pentagon as the chief speechwriter for  Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, and is the author of White House Warriors: How the National Security Council Transformed the American Way of War.“I’m hoping what [this seminar] does is help you think a little differently about American foreign policy,” Gans began, before  asking if the audience agreed with Haas’ statement which he previously quoted.After watching hands raised in agreement, Gans responded that he disagreed with Haas’ words, arguing that U.S. citizens are far more informed about global affairs than they are given credit for, providing the example of the COVID-19 pandemic.

          “The idea that our [American] politics have stopped at the water’s edge has always been wrong,” Gans explained.

          Next, Gans presented four commonly accepted foreign policy archetypes for Americans: Hamiltonians, Wilsonians, Jeffersonians, and Jacksonians. He began with Hamiltonians, who viewed international relations as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the government and the global economy. Alternatively, Wilsonians believe the U.S. has a moral obligation to use foreign policy to spread democratic values throughout the world, including through war if necessary. By contrast, Jeffersonians are  isolationists who prefer sanctions as a foreign policy tool to war. Finally, Jacksonians are hyper-nationalists who do not seek war but believe any conflict must end with the enemy’s unconditional surrender. 

          Gans then argued that while Hamiltonians and Wilsonians dominated American politics in the 20th century, recent years have seen the rise of more Jacksonian and Jeffersonian politicians. He concluded his lecture by emphasizing the importance of voting and encouraging attendees to remain engaged in the field of foreign policy. “Your view of what American foreign policy represents is just as important as anyone else’s,” Gans said before opening the floor to questions. 

          Catarina Correa ’26 wished students could have been better prepared for the Q&A session, which included  topics such as media coverage of the Ukraine war and the U.S’. relationship with Russia, explaining “We were put on the spot after having been given a lot of information.”

          Nonetheless Correa considered the seminar both fulfilling and informative, stating “It's really interesting to bring in professionals in history to  educate us on topics like U.S. foreign policy because experiences like these allow  us students to expand our views of the world and to not only stick to what we think but also to understand perspectives different from our own.”