"Just think of what Woodrow Wilson stood for: he stood for world government. He wanted an early United Nations, League of Nations. But it was the conservatives, Republicans, that stood up against him"

The quote by Ron Paul reviews the historic context of President Woodrow Wilson's aspirations for international cooperation and the political characteristics surrounding it in the United States. Paul highlights Wilson's advocacy for a world federal government through the establishment of the League of Nations, an international company aimed at preserving peace and avoiding future disputes after World War I. Wilson imagined the League as a precursor to the United Nations, which emerged later on in the 20th century.

The League of Nations was part of Wilson's more comprehensive vision outlined in his Fourteen Points, which required open diplomacy, freedom of navigation, disarmament, and self-determination for nations. Wilson thought that a cumulative security plan, such as the League, was essential for guaranteeing lasting peace. Nevertheless, his vision dealt with considerable opposition locally, particularly from conservative factions within the United States, mostly represented by the Republican Party at the time.

Paul's quote highlights the ideological divide in U.S. politics relating to America's role on the international phase. Numerous conservatives, wary of entangling foreign alliances and keen on maintaining nationwide sovereignty, opposed the United States signing up with the League. This opposition was rooted in the belief that delivering authority to a worldwide body would compromise U.S. self-reliance in foreign affairs. The most vocal challengers, called the "Irreconcilables", argued that entangling alliances could drag the U.S. into unnecessary disputes abroad.

Wilson's inability to protect Senate ratification for the Treaty of Versailles, which included the League of Nations covenant, eventually led to the U.S. not joining the League. This episode highlights the stress between internationalism and isolationism in American politics, a theme that continues to resonate in contemporary diplomacy arguments. Ron Paul's reflection therefore serves to show a historical moment where political concepts and international aspirations converged, forming the trajectory of U.S. engagement in world affairs.