Catholic Social Science Review

Volume 10, 2005

New Directions for U.S. Foreign Policy: Catholic Social Teaching as a Guide

The author argues that there are serious problems from the standpoint of Catholic social teaching (as well as traditional Western thought and simple prudence) in making the forcible spreading of democracy an objective of U.S. foreign policy. He argues that U.S. policy, in light of Catholic social teaching, should be prudently interventionist—but not primarily in a military sense—in promoting human rights, diffusing international tensions, and peacekeeping. Also, the author discusses such questions as shaping U.S. foreign policy in conjunction with allies and foreign aid, in light of Catholic social teaching.