In his farewell address, President Washington advised the united states to stat clear of permanent alliances.?

Answer 1

Washington actually says quite a bit about it. I was going to cut and paste the relevant paragraphs, but there are just too many of them. If you want the entire original text, follow the link. Relevant paragraphs are 31-48. We can summarize much of that with just one line:

"Observe good faith and justice towards all Nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all."

He elaborates at length on this idea, saying first that, "The Nation, which indulges towards another an habitual hatred, or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave" (paragraph 32). Bad will, it goes perhaps without saying, has bad effects. I suspect, that he was referring indirectly terms to Britain, which we had so recently cast off from. I'm sure resentment was deep at the time... oddly, I STILL run across people who seem upset about it!

More relevantly, he then goes on to say, "So likewise, a passionate attachment of one Nation for another produces a variety of evils" (paragraph 33). For one thing, he is worried about impartiality interfering with our decision-making process. If we're too busy playing favourites, we'll have trouble seeing what's a good idea and what isn't. He is also wary of favoured nations creating jealousy and stirring up trouble with other nations which are not so nicely treated (as well as giving away too much stuff to someone just because you liike them). He is perhaps most worried that foreign countries will develop sympathetic groups within this one which would interfere with our own democratic process.

This last point he mentions over and over in his speech. Saying, "Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me, fellow-citizens), the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake" (paragraph 35). He even goes so far as to suggest having as few COMMERCIAL relations with other countries as possible too, to avoid economic influence.

Of the influence of other nations, he was particularly worried about Europe. Though most of the colonists were from Europe, he felt that America no longer had much of a connection at all to what he say as constant European rivalries and strife.

While he advocates honesty in our affairs, he was skeptical of the honesty of others. Having described so many ways that foreign influence could be bad, he also says that nothing good can come of it. To quote again, "There can be no greater error than to expect or calculate upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an illusion, which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard." In other words, he didn't think you could really trust so-called friends. Rather Machiavellian, in a way.

He sums up in paragraph 40: "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world".

His speech is only 51 paragraphs long, and as you can see this is a huge part of it. Interestingly enough, the other biggest part is a diatribe against the formation of political parties. Give it a read. It's curious stuff!

Answer 2

Actually, he said "entangling alliances." The thought--shared by many Americans--was that it was not to America's interest to sign treaties that would obligate us to the nations of Europe in ways that might draw us into their wars. There was reason for this view--Washington himself had fought in the "French and Indian" war some 40-oddy years before--and it wasn't "our war" at all--just the North American part of the European Seven years War.

Today, of course, that advice has to be modified--not because its bad advice, but because the US is so large and powerful (and can't stay aloof from world affairs--we are a factor like it or not)--but our leaders would be well advised to exercise a great deal of caution about jumping into foreign adventures--as recent events the last few years have demonstrated all too clearly.

Answer 3

Yes. He was concerned to keep the US from getting caught up in the wars that were ripping Europe apart at the time. This was a serious concern, since some of his cabinet (Hamilton, for instance) sympathized strongly with England, while others (notably Jefferson) sided just as strongly with FRance.

Answer 4

Ok so you made a statement.... Whats your question?