Posted on 01/13/2022 6:46:21 AM PST by Kaslin
Studies show that an empire survives, on average, a mere 250 years. Did you know that?
To put that into context, the world's oldest person recently died at 124 years old; so, she lived nearly half as long as most empires do. Most Americans are unaware of this small but crucial statistic, which may suggest much about our country's future. It is past time for Americans to confront the painful reality that our time as a world superpower may be limited, and it is time to explore how to slow down what, frankly, is inevitable at some point -- that the United States' global domination will not persist indefinitely. This may be difficult to grasp and accept, but it has never been true for any civilization in the past, and it will never be true for any society in the future.
As we consider historical empires, it is worth noting that the vast majority of Americans do not regard the United States as an empire in the classical sense despite the fact that many people throughout the world do. However, for the purposes of this column, the United States, although being modern in every meaning of the word, does indeed qualify as an empire.
Since World War II, the United States has been primarily concerned with spreading democracy and freedom across the world, seeing itself as a sort of global liberator. In reality, the U.S. maintains over 800 military outposts and special operations groups spread around the globe. This is a critical consideration in determining where the United States belongs in the pantheon of former empires since, like those before it, it has been primarily interested in extending influence and power. This is not something that I mean as a criticism but rather as a contextual point. However, it is this overreach in the pursuit of continuous power and influence that frequently leads to empires withering, albeit slowly.
In 2026, the United States of America, founded in 1776, will celebrate its 250th anniversary. We're rapidly nearing the 250th anniversary of the fall of most previous civilizations. With ongoing internal turmoil ranging from race to financial disparity to political tribalism, and other countries gradually pulling away from the orbit of U.S.-led supremacy, it appears that the tides are turning against us. I fear that this mere statistic may soon become a reality that alters the course of our lives. After all, many citizens and politicians would celebrate our downfall, not realizing the perilous impact it would have on the freedoms they believe they do not have. I am not sure if it will be a huge international conflict, a financial catastrophe or a civil war that causes the United States to fall apart, but I do believe that learning from the past is critical if we are to slow down the inevitable.
As odd as it may seem, perhaps Chinese history and culture might teach our country something. Why has China survived for 5,000 years? What have they discovered that the rest of the world's great empires haven't? They have seen empires such as the United States rise and fall, and they have seen other dynasties come and go. If we are to defend our nation, I believe we must learn from our adversaries.
Being a part of an ancient civilization brings a number of benefits. The main thing I've noticed about China is that it has a distinct and complicated cultural value system that is embedded in the individuals who make up the country. The value system that defines what it is to be Chinese and what a Chinese society looks like has had an unusually long period of time to form. Their desire for knowledge and skill, as well as a cautious commitment to not overextending militarily, have proven crucial to their persistence as a country.
China is clearly interested in expanding its worldwide domination, but more so in terms of economics and finance than in terms of actual resources. They look to be primarily focused militarily on their own backyard while gradually advancing through technology the capacity to have global military reach if required. This is in stark contrast to the United States, which has endeavored to expand itself over the globe to as many places as it possibly can with raw manpower. All past empires seem to have struggled because of their exclusive concentration on worldwide military superiority. However, I think we need to rethink this. I think we need an ultra-advanced military that's not spread as thin, with the capabilities to be worldwide whenever needed. Additionally, we should focus on financial and economic dominance through trade, global finance and other monetary measures.
There are important lessons for the United States to learn, including the fact that it is not too late to save our republic. It has been demonstrated that if we learn from history, a great nation can endure and outlive others; the critical issue is whether we will do so before it is too late.
Per primary point of the column, key words are "qualify as an empire."
"As we consider historical empires, it is worth noting that the vast majority of Americans do not regard the United States as an empire in the classical sense despite the fact that many people throughout the world do. However, for the purposes of this column, the United States, although being modern in every meaning of the word, does indeed qualify as an empire."
America is not an empire, it’s a racket.
The predominant example contradicting the “250 year lifespan” is the UK, now about 900 years old since the Magna Carta of 1215 in which some degree of individual rights were codified.
Our Constitution betters the Magna Carta, so our US Empire should rival that.
250 years of capitalism, on the other hand, is a tougher task. I suppose al depends on the definition of an empire.
China’s dominance is emerging, but seems riddled with difficulties about to sprout.
no, the 17th amendment created an oligarchy, not so much an empire.
” It is past time for Americans to confront the painful reality that our time as a world superpower may be limited”
I dont think Americans care so much about being a word superpower but the REAL Americans that are left are certainly aware of the painful reality that our time as “The America we know” are very limited.
It’s been in decline for a long time but now they have infiltrated the perimeter......
Yes it is at deaths door. It died because we now have one party rule. Republicans betrayed America to its fate in 2020.
“We are not quite an empire yet.
We have had our Crassus, and are waiting for our Caesar”
While we’re stuck with President Commodus.
The technology to do that would never be limited to the USA alone. Therefore it is very hard to relinquish a "positional advantage" even when that might be advantageous overall. IOW's you can make the general argument that we should "bring the troops home" but that argument frequently fails when you get down to cases.
It also means the Chinese Empire is not readily expandable, as its ethnocentric culture more or less prohibits granting foreign elites a place at the table, and if the foreign elites assimilate to Chinese culture, then they become foreigners to their own people.
In terms of analogies the US is closest to the Roman Republic, which in contrast to the Greek city states, remarkably offered citizenship with civil rights to the foreign elites of areas added to the Empire. This gave the Romans a military reserve unparalleled in the ancient world.
The US did the same as it expanded and added millions of immigrants to its population. Like the Romans we had a common political culture of rule of law combined with a culture of self-organization. We seem to be in the process of losing both as they are replaced by an administrative state that recognizes no legal bounds to its actions, steals elections, and prosecutes its political enemies.
In other words, we seem to be transitioning directly from the Roman Republic to the despotism of corrupt public officials characteristic of the Dominate without any intervening period like the Principate, unless you count the FDR to Reagan period of leaders as such.
We won't collapse except abroad unless we have a drawn own civil war. The more likely outcome is that we will settle into being an authoritarian Brazil, with massive corruption and sham elections and quickly declining influence as our economy and military strength shrink in comparison with others and innovation moves elsewhere.
The USA might not be an empire by some definitions, but we do have governmental organs that behave that way -- like the CIA. So the distinction might be irrelevant.
“I am not sure if it will be a huge international conflict, a financial catastrophe or a civil war that causes the United States to fall apart,”
The USA is falling apart in the same way “The Thing” assimilated it’s victims in Antarctica in 1982
Empires receive resources or tribute from conquered territories. When the U.S. invaded Iraq, some said it was for oil. But then they just sold their oil on the international market instead—we got nothing except the bill.
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We traded our Republic for an Empire after WW2. The lure of Empire - with the pallid excuse of fighting communism - proved irresistible for both Republicans and Democrats.
800 bases in 90 countries is NOT what taxpayers should be paying for.
Personally, the form of government any other nation has, the way it treats its people, or the relations between it and any other state is none of our business. If attacked, we should respond devastatingly, unless our borders are actually attacked or American Citizens targeted, we shouldn’t expend a cent or a drop of blood outside of normal diplomatic and intelligence operations.
It was that bastard Wilson that got us into WW1 and our weapons manufacturers playing ‘let’s you and him fight’ between Japan and China (something that was none of our business) that mostly got us into WW2 when we decided to take sides in that conflict.
Robert Taft was right.
historical comparisons are of limited value, the cycle seems to be a lot faster in general now. likely a function of how instant communication and faster travel?
but in any event, a better comparison is the roman republic, IMO. the roman empire (western) was repeatedly invaded and occupied late in its life. the date of its ‘fall’ is a historical convenience more than a ‘it fell this day’ reality.
as far as the roman republic analogy, I would argue we might be at a point similar to the late first triumvirate - power players are openly gaming the ‘system’ to control the government completely, but it is reaching a point they feel less and less need to maintain the fiction of representative government. social stresses seem to always end up at some sort of pogrom here.
RE: The USA as a country has (and had) interests and possessions all over the world, and has exerted its power and influence in organizations like NATO and the UN. By assuming the role of “the world’s policeman.
Here’s an interesting question... many people have been complaining that instead of spending $700 billion on weapons and military technology ( more than the top 10 militaries in the world combined ), the USA should be spending that money on our poor, homeless and healthcare.
In other words, let other countries pay for their own defense. Europe, Israel, South Korea and Japan are rich enough to defend themselves.
What’s the response to this argument?
The USA went into Iraq as guarantor of the world economic system — which in turn is based on petroleum. Rush had a term back then, “The free-flow of oil at market prices.”
Two points: first of all, in the 1960s-’70’s, the lifespan of nations was *doctrinally* set at “200 years”. Which *coincidentally*, I’m sure, happened to be about the age of the United States.
Well, we’re way past that time, so the clock is now readjusted to “250 years” (1776+250 = 2026). Which I’m sure is also just *coincidentally* about the age of the United States.
Otherwise, there are also time limits of 300 and 340 years out there already. But like y2k, The Population Bomb (1970’s), MMGW, and the ever popular End Times Apocalypse, they all keep *NOT* happening.
Unless the Deep State and left are crushed, we will have the same fate as the Roman empire.
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