Albert Beveridge and Henry Van Dyke were both influential figures in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who expressed differing views on U.S. imperialism. Beveridge was a proponent of expansionist policies and believed in the necessity and righteousness of American imperialism, asserting that the U.S. had a mission to civilize and uplift "lesser" nations. He famously argued that it was America’s duty to spread democracy and capitalism, viewing imperialism as a means of bringing progress to the territories inhabited by what he considered inferior races.
On the other hand, Henry Van Dyke, while generally opposing imperialism, also held a paternalistic view of the peoples in Africa and Asia. He shared a belief in the superiority of Western civilization and expressed concern about the moral implications of imperialism. However, his opposition to imperialism stemmed from a belief that such control was morally questionable and could lead to exploitation rather than genuine improvement of life in the colonies.
Despite their opposing views on the appropriateness of U.S. imperialism, both Beveridge and Van Dyke shared a common worldview steeped in a Eurocentric understanding of civilization, where they perceived the people of colonized regions as inferior and in need of guidance and improvement. This outlook reveals a sense of racial superiority and a belief in a paternalistic obligation to help those they viewed as uncivilized.
The attitudes and characterizations of colonial peoples by Beveridge and Van Dyke likely had profound impacts on the colonial peoples themselves. Their beliefs contributed to the justification of imperialist policies that often dismissed the rights, cultures, and existing governance structures of the indigenous populations. This paternalism could lead to policies that undermined local autonomy, disregarded cultural practices, and imposed foreign systems of governance and economy, often resulting in social disruption and long-lasting adverse effects.
In essence, their worldviews encapsulated a broader narrative of American exceptionalism and a belief in the civilizing mission that characterized much of American foreign policy during that era. The impact on colonial peoples was significant, fostering attitudes of subjugation and exploitation, and reinforcing the notion that Western interventions were not just justified, but noble endeavors aimed at "improving" the lives of the colonized.