Greg Grandin on how the Monroe Doctrine Became the Donroe Doctrine

The podcast explores the Monroe Doctrine and its historical and contemporary relevance to US foreign policy, particularly in Latin America. It examines the Doctrine's evolution from an anti-colonial warning to a justification for US dominance in the Western Hemisphere. Greg Grandin, a history professor at Yale, explains the Doctrine's origins, noting its initial ambiguity and later expansions under presidents like Grover Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt. The conversation highlights the tension between the US's pro-democracy rhetoric and its pursuit of material interests, such as oil, in the region. It further analyzes how the Monroe Doctrine aligns with American-first nationalism and the lack of pretense in current US foreign policy, especially regarding Venezuela.