"If we have an imperial policy we must have a great standing army as its necessary accompaniment... A republic can have no subjects. A pupil in the school of freedom, who is taught that all government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed, can never be trained to support a colonial system in which force is substituted for consent."
— William Jennings Bryan, speech accepting the Democratic nomination for president, August 1900
Which of the following arguments against United States imperialism is most directly supported by the excerpt?
- Rule over other peoples without their consent violated the core democratic principles of the United States.Answer
- BThe acquisition of overseas colonies violated the Monroe Doctrine's commitment to forming active military alliances with Latin American nations.
- CThe United States should avoid colonial expansion because the Spanish-American War had been mistakenly triggered by the sinking of the Lusitania.
- DTerritorial expansion in the Pacific was unnecessary because the Monroe Doctrine had already established direct United States administrative control over the Western Hemisphere.
Answer
Rule over other peoples without their consent violated the core democratic principles of the United States.
The correct answer is correct because the excerpt directly references the 'consent of the governed' as a fundamental requirement for a republic, arguing that colonial systems substitute force for consent. This mirrors the primary stance of the Anti-Imperialist League and figures like William Jennings Bryan, who argued that overseas expansion and the rule of subject populations contradicted America's founding principles.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Anti-Imperialist Arguments and Democratic Values
Estimated Time:1m 30s