America the Good

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the role of Manichean discourse in American foreign policy. A literature study was performed where the theory of Manichean discourse, the concepts of American exceptionalism and manifest destiny, case studies of international conflicts where the theory of Manichean discourse could be applied, and the implications of the use of this discourse for the image of the United States were examined. Presidents and administrations have used the idea of Manichean discourse to their benefit on multiple occasions in national and international affairs. The binary distinction has been used to justify interventions by the United States in international conflicts.