>> The American empire is perhaps the first empire in history where people want to be under its banner as opposed to out in the cold. This kind of thing has ha

>> The American empire is perhaps the first empire in history where people want to be under its banner as opposed to out in the cold. This kind of thing has happened before in some cases. Malta wanted to be part of the British Empire when the French left in the early 19th century. Of course "wanted" might need to be taken with a pinch of salt, given that representative democracy and polling were not established procedures at the time.