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Thomas Woodrow Wilson Dr. Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28 th President of the United States (1913 - 1921). He was born on December 28, 1856, in Staunton, Virginia, and grew up in Georgia. He studied at Princeton University and at the University of Virginia Law School, and then entered the John Hopkins University to study the course of political science. In 1885, after writing his famous work Congressional Government, he received a degree of Doctor. Till he became a Professor of jurisprudence and political economy in 1890, he has been teaching in different universities of Connecticut, writing essays, articles and books.
Before being elected President of the USA, Wilson already had good experience of political and social activity. In summer 1902 he was unanimously elected to be President of Princeton University, and later on he became President of American Political Science Association. Wilsons political platform of progressive liberalism and reorganization started developing during his being Governor of New Jersey. In 1913 he became the second, after Andrew Jackson, Democrat President of the United States. Historical personality of Woodrow Wilson is very controversial. Some political researches and studies of his life and activity demonstrate Wilsons wisdom, political sagacity and devotion to successful liberal reformation policy.
But a number of historians or specialists on sociology and psychiatry: in particular, Sigmund Freud and William Bullitt (Thomas Woodrow Wilson: A Psychological Study), picture Wilson as a person with learning and sensory disabilities, with different neurological problems and egocentric character, who was nobody else, but a troubling madman. The main thesis of this work is: Thomas Woodrow Wilson was one of the most significant, creative and progressive Presidents of the United States of America. His contribution into the development of the country, improving its image and strengthening its position on international level can not be underestimated. Many historians call him Prophet of Peace for his landmark steps in solving the conflict of the First World War and promoting peace and security all around the world. Wilsons presidency took place at hard times, when numerous milestone events of national and especially international importance required a lot of strength and determination from American President, together with the necessity of making a lot of important political decisions. Wilson managed to face and overcome these challenges with dignity, and many of his political movements were truly remarkable!
After coming into the office, Wilson implemented a number of important economic and financial reforms according to his election program New Freedom, which was directed on stabilization of American industrial system and making President to be intellectual and ideological leader of the government. First of all, it was banking reform, which resulted in establishing of 12 new banks and serious improvements of monetary system of the country. Second, he introduced antitrust reform, which aimed at encouraging of economic competition. Forming of such important organ like Federal Trade Commission was initiated by President Wilson.
Liberal political approach of Woodrow Wilson found reflection in great concern of the President about interests of working people. During the first years of his office, Wilson considerably loosened sever taxation system of those years: the Underwood-Simmons Tariff Act of 1913 seriously lowered tariff and tax rates. Besides, he used to favor and support labor unions of workers, providing security for their rights and privileges. Wilson had a lot of challenges with the necessity of forming a new administration, because the Democrats were not in power for more than 20 years. For this process Wilson used the theories and researches from his university work Congressional Government, which also became a basis for his program on improving and ratifying some important acts and provisions of legislative system of the United States. Also, Wilson implemented a range of important political acts, which seriously influenced on the development of the whole world, including settlement of economic relations with China and Japan, and also attempts to avoid possible war in Northern America and recognition of self-government of Mexico after revolution.
But, first of all, his international activity connected, with participation of the USA in World War I and concluding a number of important political acts of global importance. On the outbreak of the WWI, Wilson argued for following the policy of neutrality by the United States, and this idea was supported by the Congress. But in 1917, being pressed by uncontrolled events of the War in Europe and increasing expansion of Germany, the USA formally announced the war against Germany. In January, 1918, Wilson delivered his famous speech named 14 Points to the Congress. This speech included 14 paragraphs of the program of the world peace, in which President demanded particular settlements regarding some territories of European countries, together with establishing of so called League of Nations. Wilson imagined this league as a union of the nations of Western Hemisphere, the main concepts of which were free trade zones and navigation, prohibiting of colonization and securing peace and unity in Europe.
No nation is fit to sit in judgment upon any other nation, Wilson said in his other speech in New York [ 3 ]. This concept and direct concern of the United States in the consequences of the WWI resulted in signing of the Treaty of Versailles at Paris Peace Conference, which took place in January 1919. This Treaty proclaimed the defeat of Germany in the WWI, regulated some territorial changes in political map of Europe and stipulated the necessity of reducing the weapons and armed forces. Besides, it announced establishment of League of Nations, and proclaimed opportunity of self-governing for every nation of the League. Signing of this Treaty became an important event for future political, economic and cultural development of European nations. It is remarkable, that after signing the Treaty and demonstrating the power of America in Europe, Wilson followed strict policy of minimal involvement of the United States into the affairs of European community.
In 1920 President Wilson received Noble Peace Prize for his incredible contribution into the activity of establishing peace in the world. This event was only overshadowed by growing opposition in the Congress to the county's entering League of Nations, and, as a result, by worsening of Woodrow Wilsons health conditions. In 1921, after being not re-elected, he retired from the White House to spend his last days watching the conservative Republicans repudiating and criticizing his foreign and domestic strategies. Nevertheless, all the abovementioned developments and achievements of the President Woodrow Wilson underline his deep political concern and comprehension, intuition and persistence as a political leader, and show him as a powerful personality with strong abilities of governing the country and forming successful political concepts, despite of a number of natural disabilities and health problems. Wilson was professional educated politician, he has been studying political science and had a lot of own ideas regarding the improvement of governmental and legislative systems of the country. That is why his career as a President was very successful and full of effective changes.
Besides, till now Wilson remains the only President of the USA, who received an academic degree of doctor. Woodrow Wilsons talent to deliver speeches: vivid, interesting and convincing, was famous. One of his most remarkable aphorisms is: The man who is swimming against the stream knows the strength of it (from his program The New Freedom) [ 3 ]. Wilson had incredible abilities to persuade and to influence on his opponents with his speeches, that is how he could successfully administrated the Congress, where the majority of the members were Republicans. I personally absolutely and completely recognize and value all the merits and achievements of President Thomas Woodrow Wilson for our nation as very important and significant. I consider that his health disorders and disabilities did not result in any considerable failures, negative conditions or personal regression, especially in his performance as political leader of a huge country.
These problems were just additional challenges in his life, which he had to fight with. Considerable academic achievements of Wilson, his scholar maturity, scientific degrees and numerous political researches prove his competence, intelligence, abilities to analyze and advance as a personality. His bright political reformations together with brilliant decisions and strategies on international level are the best arguments proving his efficiency, leadership, administrative talents and uniqueness when being in office. From definite angle of view, natural health disorders of Woodrow Wilson assisted him in developing and advancing as a personality.
In his school years, suffering from learning disability called dyslexia (inability to read properly), future President demonstrated strong will and determination in compensating it, and he worked very hard to keep up with academic requirements for his peers in the school. To improve himself, he mastered stenography, and tried to counterweigh his disabilities with some other skills. Later on, at the end of his Presidential office, he suffered consequent strokes and became nearly incapacitated. But, even being tied by illness to his bed, Wilson aimed all his efforts on writing articles and opposing the critics of his political ideas, being cared by his wife.
Even when his body was totally broken with the sickness, his spirit and determination were not, and he continued to serve for social benefits of his citizens. And in case if the Democrats would win the office again, the ideas and developments of Wilson would not be disapproved and rejected by new governmental circles of the country. Despite of any psychological conclusions, accusations and obviously fraudulent statement of details of Wilsons case by Freud and his researchers, Woodrow Wilson was an outstanding politician and very important individual in the whole history of the United States. Possibly, he has been a little bit idealistic politician, who was too much determined to his own ideas and had a little lack of flexibility in looking for compromise, but, at the same time, there is hardly a person in the world, who made more of sincere efforts to bring peace and harmony to every house and every family in the world. In is important to note, that the best way to demonstrate high esteem and respect to the achievements of a person is memorizing his name and glory. There are famous Wilson House in Johns Hopkins University and modern highway Woodrow Wilson Bridge between Virginia and Maryland.
In the mid-years of XX century a portrait of Wilson appeared on a special 100, 000 dollars bill, used for financial transactions. Moreover, the inheritance of Wilson is commemorated in small countries of Europe, like Slovakia and Czech Republic, where a city and a railway station are named after President Wilson. These are the most excellent evidences of appreciation and recognition of Wilsons contribution into the developing of peace around the world. Wilsons wise and deliberate strategies in foreign policy set up a new understanding of America's role and influence on European nations. Domestic political program of Wilsons reformations extended the importance of the federal government in administration of the whole economy and protecting the rights and interests of American citizens. Wilson was the first President who established the White House to be the main center of Presidential power in the USA.
That is why many specialists and historians place Woodrow Wilson among the five most influential and significant Presidents of our country: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt's. Bibliography: Brown, M. (2005). Woodrow Wilson: A Brief Biography. Library Reference. UTN Web Directory.
Retrieved May 09, 2005, from < web >. Hirst, D. W. (2000, March 7). Wilson, Woodrow. Groiler Multimedia Encyclopedia. The American Presidency.
Scholastic Library Publishing. Retrieved May 09, 2005, from < web >. Quotations of Woodrow Wilson. (n. d. ). Quotations Page. Michael Moncur.
Retrieved May 09, 2005, from < web >. Wilson, Woodrow. (n. d. ). Encyclopedia Americana. The American Presidency.
Scholastic Library Publishing. Retrieved May 09, 2005, from < web >. Woodrow Wilson. (2005, May 7). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 09, 2005, from the World Wide Web: < web >.
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