殖民地时代欧洲国家对美国外交传统的影响

European Countries'Influence on American Diplomatic Tradition in Colonial Age

美国外交传统包括美国人对外部世界的认识、对本国安全保障的理解以及对自身根本利益的界定。在这一外交传统的形成过程中,欧洲的外交惯例、政策行为和思想都产生着重要影响。欧洲的影响与美洲独特的环境相结合,构成了美国外交传统的三方面内容,即“欧洲和美洲是两个不同世界”的理论、强调欧洲均势对美国安全的重要性以及对美洲大陆上的扩张自由和海上贸易自由的追求。它们共同指导着美国200多年来的外交政策。因此,跨国史视角有助于我们对美国外交史的进一步理解。

American diplomatic tradition includes American recognition to the world;their understanding to the guarantee of their own country's security;and their definition to their fundamental interest.European diplomatic practice,policy action and ideology played an important role in the making of American diplomatic tradition.Combined with American unique condition,it produced three aspects in American diplomatic tradition,that is,the theory of“Europe and America are different worlds”,the attention to the importance of European balance of power and the pursuit to the freedom of expansion on American continent and maritime trade.They have been the guidance of American foreign policy as a whole since its independence.So,transnational history viewpoint can help us to further the understanding of American diplomatic history.