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| Title: | African-Americans and U.S. Policy Toward Liberia, 1929-1935 |
| Author: | Normandy, Elizabeth L. |
| Year: | 1993 |
| Periodical: | Liberian Studies Journal |
| Volume: | 28 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Pages: | 203-230 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic terms: | Liberia United States |
| Subjects: | African Americans foreign policy forced labour Labor and Employment History and Exploration international relations |
| Abstract: | Between 1929 and 1935, the US and Liberia were involved in an international controversy concerning the existence of forced labour in Liberia. As the US, the League of Nations, and the Firestone Rubber Corporation sought to develop and implement a plan of reform for Liberia, African-Americans tried to influence US policymakers to adopt policies which would preserve Liberian sovereignty. The extent of their success is gauged by assessing their activity in the light of established theories about the role of interest groups in the foreign policymaking process. African-Americans influenced the way policymakers defined the problem, the choice of a policy alternative, and the implementation of policy. African-American influence was enhanced because policymakers anticipated an adverse reaction from African-American voters if certain courses of action were followed. Factors which played a role in the exercise of influence included the nature of African-American demands, the relationship with other interest groups, the existence of countervailing pressure, the type and importance of the issue, the length of decision time, and other organizational characteristics. Ref. |