Final answer:
The U.S. foreign policy that aligns with the provided quote is isolationism, which characterizes early U.S. foreign policy. Over time, however, the U.S. shifted toward imperialism and, later, a mix of neo-isolationism and selective engagement, especially during and after the Cold War. The correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
The quotation 'It is evident that they belong to different systems. England to Europe, America to itself' most consistently aligns with the United States foreign policy of isolationism. Throughout the late eighteenth century to the early twentieth century, the U.S. was deeply influenced by the isolationist philosophy advocated by figures such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, which suggested that America should keep out of foreign wars and entanglements. Nevertheless, by the end of the nineteenth century, the U.S. shifted towards imperialism driven by desires to expand economic, political, and military control, a marked departure from its isolationist roots. This was fueled by the ideology of 'American exceptionalism', believing America had a unique mission to spread liberty and democracy.
During the Cold War, the primary goal of U.S. foreign policy was c. prevent the Soviet Union from spreading communism outside Eastern Europe, indicating a move away from isolationism towards active intervention in global politics to counter the perceived threat of communism. This interventionist stance was punctuated by the United States' substantial trading activities with the Allies during World War I and the extending of loans mostly to them, which demonstrated a selective engagement in world affairs while maintaining nominal isolationism.
At the start of the twenty-first century, the U.S. exhibited a form of neo-isolationism, where it sought to distance itself from certain international organizations, yet it maintained strong military and economic engagements worldwide. This approach, along with selective engagement and neoconservatism, reflects a complex navigation between isolationist tendencies and global assertiveness.