A foreign policy is a set of principles, actions and ideas formulated by a nation that defines its goals, interests, and values in relation to the rest of the world. It encompasses all interactions a country has with other countries, whether diplomatic or military. It also includes all international organizations and alliances a nation is involved in. Countries must balance the use of hard and soft power to achieve its foreign policy objectives. A common definition of a hard foreign policy involves using military force, economic sanctions, or nuclear deterrence to coerce or compel other nations to cooperate and compromise. A common definition of a soft foreign policy is the use of cultural exchange, humanitarian aid, or public diplomacy to promote the goals and interests of a country.
Foreign policy is a complex, dynamic process that is constantly changing in response to new circumstances and conditions. Many think tanks exist that study foreign policy specifically. These include the Council on Foreign Relations in the United States and Chatham House in the United Kingdom.
Two thousand twenty-two will go down as a tough year, but there was some good news. In the realm of foreign policy, this included President Trump’s announcement that the Monroe Doctrine era is over. It’s clear that American foreign policy is still a polarizing issue, with “realists” – often cast as isolationists – on one side and idealists such as liberals and neo-cons on the other.