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While all you said is true, I'd recommend to think of a plausible alternative. If the USA stops behaving as an Empire, what would actually happen? My guess is

While all you said is true, I'd recommend to think of a plausible alternative. If the USA stops behaving as an Empire, what would actually happen? My guess is that China would become the global empire, to a higher level than right now. Do you really want that? Will China be a better global empire? I mean, the USA at least has some form of democracy, whereas China is the largest dictatorship in the planet. Maybe the USA being a global empire is the least worst alternative. And by the way I'm European.

lucb1e 8y ago
An alternative? I don't see why any country needs to take the role that the USA is filling right now. The USA is not some sort of peacekeeping organisation, they're enforcing their will elsewhere. I completely agree that if China were in the USA's current position, the world would be much worse off, but that does not mean I think the USA's current position is desirable. If you do want to make me pick, I would say the European Union might be a good fit for the role since there is no European army and there are no serious or popular proposals for such a thing. Each country would still have to be convinced to take part in any sort of conflict. I currently see the USA (partly, of course, as there are many, many other aspects and I would not, for example, stop trade or anything) as a threat to most other countries (aside from the five eyes countries perhaps), but the EU in such a position would be more like a negotiation table.
- Findeton 8y ago
  The US, by being where it is, it keeps other big players (like China) out. It's too naive in my opinion to think that if the US just gets out of everywhere, China or whomever wouldn't try to replace them. And that's why I was asking if you've actually thought of a plausible alternative. I think you haven't.
justatdotin 8y ago
> Do you really want that? no. > Will China be a better global empire? I reckon it is the concept, rather than the flavour, of empire that is wrong. > Maybe the USA being a global empire is the least worst alternative. maybe if we tried harder we could imagine alternatives to empire

lucb1e 8y ago

An alternative? I don't see why any country needs to take the role that the USA is filling right now. The USA is not some sort of peacekeeping organisation, they're enforcing their will elsewhere. I completely agree that if China were in the USA's current position, the world would be much worse off, but that does not mean I think the USA's current position is desirable. If you do want to make me pick, I would say the European Union might be a good fit for the role since there is no European army and there are no serious or popular proposals for such a thing. Each country would still have to be convinced to take part in any sort of conflict. I currently see the USA (partly, of course, as there are many, many other aspects and I would not, for example, stop trade or anything) as a threat to most other countries (aside from the five eyes countries perhaps), but the EU in such a position would be more like a negotiation table.

Findeton 8y ago
The US, by being where it is, it keeps other big players (like China) out. It's too naive in my opinion to think that if the US just gets out of everywhere, China or whomever wouldn't try to replace them. And that's why I was asking if you've actually thought of a plausible alternative. I think you haven't.

justatdotin 8y ago

> Do you really want that? no. > Will China be a better global empire? I reckon it is the concept, rather than the flavour, of empire that is wrong. > Maybe the USA being a global empire is the least worst alternative. maybe if we tried harder we could imagine alternatives to empire