Isolationism

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Isolationism is a foreign policy which combines a non-interventionist military and political policy with a policy of economic nationalism (protectionism). In other words, it asserts both of the following:

Political rulers should avoid entangling alliances with other nations and avoid all wars not related to direct territorial self-defense.
There should be legal barriers to prevent trade and cultural exchange with people in other states.

"Isolationism" has always been a debated topic,as in whether or not a country should be or should not be isolationist. All the first world countries (the UK, United States, etc.) function on a world economy. Some will argue that removing oneself from such an economy could be potentially helpful, though this is a debated and undecided topic. Regardless, there are examples for this and vice versa that all seem to some extent valid. Some argue that deficit, inflation, and stagflation problems would be essentially removed by an isolationist economy. One must consider however, the numerous counter-examples to this argument, such as the Great Depression, a United States decade of poverty and hunger during its isolationist reign. It was the second World War and the world economy following it that pulled the economy back from its mingled remnants and started a financial era of prosperity. Having said that, there are also some evidence that points the other way.

Isolationism in Japan

From 1641 to 1853, the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan enforced a policy which it called sakoku. The policy prohibited foreign contact except with China, Korea, and Holland. During this time, the culture of Japan developed in ways mostly free of influence from the outside world and had one of the longest stretches of peace in history.

Isolationism

Isolationism in Japan

References

See also