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US Expansionism: A Historical Drive, Not a Modern Dream
🇨🇭 Switzerland /Culture & Society

US Expansionism: A Historical Drive, Not a Modern Dream

From Neue Zürcher Zeitung · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Interview Sources not specified Context piece
  • US history shows a recurring pattern of territorial expansion driven by both settlers seeking opportunity and elites speculating on land.
  • The American Revolution was partly fueled by British restrictions on westward expansion, which colonists saw as a barrier to their prosperity.
  • Historian Henry Brands argues that territorial ambitions, like those sometimes attributed to Donald Trump, are not a sustainable or defining feature of the US.

The United States, celebrating its 250th anniversary, has a long history intertwined with territorial expansion, a drive that has shaped its identity from its very beginnings. Historian Henry Brands explains that this westward push was not solely the domain of ordinary settlers seeking a new life, but also a lucrative venture for the wealthy elite.

The Americans said to themselves: 'That may be good for the British, but not for us.' For the first time, it occurred to them that they would be better off without Britain.

— Henry BrandsExplaining the colonists' growing dissatisfaction with British rule leading up to the Revolution.

Brands highlights that the seeds of the American Revolution were sown, in part, by disputes over land. Following the French and Indian War, colonists who fought for the right to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains found their ambitions thwarted by British policy. The Crown, seeking to avoid costly conflicts with Native American tribes, prohibited settlement in areas like the Ohio Country. This restriction, Brands notes, led colonists to question their allegiance, realizing their interests might diverge from Britain's.

The rich in America saw expansion to the West as an opportunity to speculate in land.

— Henry BrandsDescribing the motivations of the American elite regarding westward expansion.

This expansionist impulse served dual purposes. For ordinary settlers, it represented the chance to build a future and acquire land. For the elite, including prominent figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, it offered opportunities for land speculation. They acquired property rights with the intention of selling them to actual settlers, profiting from the westward movement. "It was about making money," Brands stated, emphasizing how this shared interest in expansion, albeit for different reasons, connected different social strata.

It was about making money.

— Henry BrandsClarifying the financial incentives for land speculation during westward expansion.

Brands suggests that any modern-day dreams of territorial expansion, such as those sometimes associated with Donald Trump's rhetoric regarding Greenland or Canada, are ultimately ephemeral. "If Trump leaves the White House, no one will talk about expanding into Greenland or Canada anymore," he predicts, implying that such ambitions are not deeply rooted in the nation's enduring character or historical trajectory.

If Trump leaves the White House, no one will talk about expanding into Greenland or Canada anymore.

— Henry BrandsCommenting on the transient nature of modern territorial ambitions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Neue Zürcher Zeitung in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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