Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	Hurst, Dena
Author's Email Address	dlh4059@garnet.acns.fsu.edu
URN	etd-11152004-154239
Title	America's National Interest: Politics of Deceit
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy
Department	Philosophy, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Donald Hodges Committee Chair Lance deHaven-Smith Committee Member Peter Dalton Committee Member
Keywords	War Foreign Policy Philosophy American History
Date of Defense	2004-10-25
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract This analysis provides a fact-based examination of the doctrine of nationalism and its idol, the national interest, couched within the context of twentieth century wartime presidential speeches and writings. What is significant about this rhetoric is that it provides a clear delineation of the growth of nationalism as America’s underlying political ideology and has fueled reliance on the concept of the national interest in guiding foreign affairs. By building public policies around their own perceptions of what is in the public good—perceptions at times motivated by genuine patriotism, but all too often motivated by private interests—America’s political leaders have routinely resorted to lies and subterfuge as the means to their nationalist ends. Presidents and their advisors have learned that by exerting their power over the people, by controlling the content and context of political discourse, they can manipulate public opinion, winning support for policies and actions that appear to serve public interests, but in actuality are opposed to what people want or need.
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