"We Americans have no commission from God to police the world"

Benjamin Harrison’s assertion, “We Americans have no commission from God to police the world,” expresses a principled stance against unwarranted interventionism in international affairs. He challenges the notion of a national destiny or divine mandate that obligates the United States to meddle in the internal matters of other nations. At its core, this perspective critiques the idea of American exceptionalism when it is interpreted as justification for exerting dominance or imposing American values on other societies.

Harrison’s words are rooted in a skepticism toward moralistic or religious rationalizations for foreign intervention, inviting Americans to consider the limits of their influence and the ethical implications of wielding power abroad. His statement implies that the United States, like any other nation, should be guided by humility and restraint rather than assuming a self-appointed guardianship of world order. It resists the expansionist and interventionist impulses that occasionally rose in American foreign policy, cautioning against hubris and its attendant risks: entanglement in unnecessary conflicts, imposition upon other peoples’ sovereignty, and the fostering of resentment.

Furthermore, the remark encourages reflection on the nature of national mission and responsibility. Rather than asserting a divinely sanctioned right or duty to direct the course of world events, Harrison urges a focus on self-governance and the improvement of the American republic. He acknowledges the complexities and challenges other nations face, yet rejects the presumption that Americans possess unique wisdom or capacity to solve them. Such restraint, in Harrison’s view, is not indifference to global affairs, but a respect for the autonomy of other peoples and recognition of the limitations of American power.

In an era when the United States was beginning to emerge as a world power, Harrison’s statement stands as a reminder of the dangers of overreach and serves as a call for caution, humility, and adherence to a foreign policy grounded in respect, not paternalism or domination.