25th President · 1897–1901 · Republican
William McKinley
The great protectionist. Ended Spanish rule in Cuba and made the United States a world power. The war in the Philippines was long and brutal.
In the Society’s PantheonOverallB+GPA 3.48
The grades
- SovereigntyDid they put American interests first and keep decisions in American hands?A-
- HemisphereDid they guard the Americas against rival powers and threats?A
- RestraintDid they keep the country out of wars of choice that weakened it?C+
- StatecraftDid they use diplomacy, force and alliances skillfully, on American terms?A-
- Industry and tradeDid they protect and build American industry?A+
- Working AmericansDid ordinary working families do better because of them?B
- BuildingDid they build things that lasted and push the frontier forward?B+
- NationDid they strengthen a shared American identity and the Union?B+
- CompetenceWere they capable, honest and effective in office?A-
On the axes
MarketEconomyPopulist
Free tradeTradeProtectionist
RestraintForeign policyInterventionist
CosmopolitanNationNational
Dark dot: William McKinley. Red mark: the Monroe Society. Ideological closeness to the Society: 76%.