The diplomacy of trade and investment
Subtitle: American economic expansion in the Hemisphere, 1865-1900
By: David M. Pletcher.
Publisher: University of Missouri Press
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Columbia, MO
Language: eng
Number of pages: 458
Subjects: Investments, American -- America -- History -- 19th century.; United States -- Foreign economic relations -- America.; America -- Foreign economic relations -- United States.; United States -- Commerce -- America -- History -- 19th century.; America -- Commerce -- United States -- History -- 19th century.; United States -- Commercial policy -- History -- 19th century.
Description: Based on a thorough examination of government documents, congressional debates and reports, private papers of government and business leaders, and newspapers, David M. Pletcher begins this monumental study with a comprehensive survey of U.S. trade following the Civil War. He goes on to outline the problems of building a coherent trade policy toward Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

The study concludes by analyzing a series of abortive trade reform efforts and examining the effects of the Spanish-American War. Pletcher rejects the long-held belief that American business and government engaged in a deliberate, consistent drive for economic hegemony in the hemisphere during the late 18OOs. Instead he finds that the American government improvised and experimented with ways to further trade expansion.
Notes: Includes bibliography (p. 397-442) and index.