A Historical Survey with Contextual Analysis and Primary Sources
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Protectionist slogans—phrases advocating tariffs, trade restrictions, or preferential treatment for domestic production—have appeared repeatedly in American political discourse since the nation’s founding. While some slogans have been reused across centuries, their meanings have varied depending on historical, economic, and political context.
This article documents the origin, reuse, and contextual meaning of protectionist slogans, with particular attention to “America First.” It also examines why such slogans are not inherently racist, despite having been adopted at times by individuals or groups with racial ideologies.
Early Foundations: Protecting Domestic Industry (1790s–1860s)
Protectionist language in the United States predates modern concepts of race-based political ideology.
In 1791, Alexander Hamilton articulated the “infant industries” argument in his Report on Manufactures, advocating temporary tariffs to support domestic production.¹ This framework was economic and strategic, not cultural or ethnic.
During the 1820s, Henry Clay promoted the American System, emphasizing tariffs, infrastructure investment, and national financial institutions.² The language centered on economic development and national self-sufficiency.
By the Civil War era, Republican Party platforms openly supported protective tariffs as tools for financing government operations and supporting Northern industry.³ These arguments were grounded in industrial capacity and fiscal policy rather than identity-based distinctions.
Late 19th Century: Emergence of “America First” in Trade Rhetoric (1880s–1900)
The phrase “America First” entered American political discourse in the 1880s, primarily through newspaper editorials advocating protectionist trade policies.⁴ Its usage focused on:
- Tariff policy
- Trade competition
- Domestic industrial growth
Campaigns led by Benjamin Harrison and William McKinley used protection-focused slogans linking tariffs to economic expansion.⁵ The McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 became a legislative expression of this rhetoric.⁶
At this stage, “America First” functioned as an economic prioritization slogan, not as a statement about race, ethnicity, or citizenship.
Early 20th Century: Neutrality, Isolationism, and Diverging Uses (1910s–1940s)
During World War I, Woodrow Wilson employed “America First” language in speeches supporting neutrality prior to U.S. entry into the war.⁷ Here, the phrase referred to foreign policy restraint, not domestic social hierarchy.
In the interwar period, protectionist slogans appeared alongside immigration restriction debates and economic nationalism. During this time, some organizations and individuals with racial or ethnic exclusionary views adopted the same language, most notably the America First Committee.⁸
Importantly, the committee itself included members with divergent motivations, ranging from constitutional non-interventionism to broader nationalist views. After Pearl Harbor, the organization dissolved, and the slogan largely disappeared from mainstream political usage.
Analytical Section: Why “America First” Is Not Inherently Racist
Language vs. Ideology
From a historical and linguistic standpoint, a slogan is not inherently racist unless its meaning explicitly encodes racial hierarchy or exclusion. “America First,” in its literal construction, expresses prioritization of national interests—a concept found in many countries and political systems.
The phrase:
- Does not reference race
- Does not specify ethnicity or religion
- Does not prescribe social hierarchy
Its core semantic meaning is ordering of policy priorities, not identity classification.
Historical Multiplicity of Use
Across U.S. history, “America First” has been used in multiple, distinct contexts, including:
- Trade protection (1880s)
- Neutrality and non-intervention (1910s)
- Economic renewal rhetoric (late 20th century)
- Trade renegotiation and supply-chain policy (21st century)
These uses precede, overlap, and outlast periods in which the slogan was adopted by racially motivated groups. The slogan’s meaning has therefore not been fixed to any single ideology.
Adoption Does Not Redefine Origin
Historically, the adoption of neutral language by racist actors does not retroactively redefine the language itself. Many commonly used political terms—such as “states’ rights,” “national sovereignty,” or “law and order”—have appeared in both neutral governance contexts and discriminatory movements.
In historical analysis, meaning is determined by:
- Original usage
- Structural definition
- Documented applications across time
By these criteria, “America First” functions as a policy-framing slogan, not a racial doctrine.
Distinguishing Policy Nationalism from Racial Nationalism
Political theory distinguishes:
- Civic nationalism (policy prioritization based on citizenship and sovereignty)
- Ethnic nationalism (identity-based exclusion)
“America First” has historically aligned with civic nationalism, particularly in economic and foreign policy debates. While some groups have attempted to reinterpret it otherwise, such reinterpretations are context-dependent, not intrinsic.
Late 20th and 21st Century Reuse (1980s–Present)
The phrase “Make America Great Again” appeared in the 1980 campaign of Ronald Reagan, focused on economic recovery and national confidence.⁹
In the 2010s, Donald Trump revived both “America First” and “Make America Great Again” in campaigns centered on trade, manufacturing, and international agreements.¹⁰
Under Joe Biden, several trade and procurement policies aligned with domestic preference frameworks, including “Buy American” provisions.¹¹ These policies were framed in legislative and economic terms rather than racial categories.
Summary
“America First” is a historically recurring slogan whose meaning has shifted according to context. Its origins lie in economic policy, and its repeated reuse reflects changing national priorities rather than a fixed ideological identity.
While the slogan has been adopted at times by individuals or groups with racial ideologies, historical evidence shows it has also been used extensively in non-racial, policy-focused contexts across more than a century. As such, the slogan itself is contextual rather than categorical, and its meaning depends on how, when, and why it is used.
Footnotes & Primary Sources
- Hamilton, A. Report on Manufactures (1791).
- Clay, H. Congressional speeches on the American System (1820s).
- Republican Party Platforms, 1860 & 1864.
- “America First and Always,” U.S. newspapers, 1884.
- Republican National Platform, 1888.
- McKinley Tariff Act, 1890.
- Wilson, W. Neutrality speeches, 1914–1916.
- America First Committee records, University of Chicago Archives.
- Reagan Campaign Materials, 1980.
- Trump Campaign Speeches and Executive Orders, 2016–2020.
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; Federal procurement orders, 2021–present.