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World has changed a lot since Roman empire, the British empire and the French colonialism. I am not convinced if the same dynamics still apply. You acutely omit

World has changed a lot since Roman empire, the British empire and the French colonialism. I am not convinced if the same dynamics still apply. You acutely omit the fall of the Nazi party for example. They didn't like their neighbors, tried to invade them and we all know how it went. You should be making a list of all the potential superpowers that didn't become by pissing off their neighbors.

chrisco255 7y ago
I wonder if the Nazis had stopped at Poland, Austria, and Hungary and just built up their power more slowly if they wouldn't have survived? The U.S.S.R. was no better but they had far more staying power and the remnants of that still influence politics to this day. The main point I take from history is that the past does not necessarily determine the future. There's no such thing as fate. The Nazis could have won if they didn't make certain strategic errors. If Rome didn't make certain strategic errors, it would still be an empire today. China itself is older than Rome and there's really no guarantees that they don't win this whole cold war or whatever it is that's brewing.
- spectramax 7y ago
  I think the point I was trying to make is - I cannot imagine an empire such as the British empire going around conquering and taking over the world today. We have nuclear power. We have instant communication on a global scale. Organizing is easier than ever on the internet and once we have satellite internet, it is game over. I just don't see the same type of century old analogies panning out in today's world. A superpower cannot antagonize, bully, invade and destroy neighbors like they used to in 13th century. Your point of the Nazi party sounds plausible - if Nazi party had slowly built up their power, I think they'd had a hard time spreading on a global scale.
  - chrisco255 7y ago
    Maybe. I think nuclear weapons are a deterrent for these world wars that happened in the 20th century and I agree on that point. But the cold war still happened and it lasted a long time and there were many proxy wars fought in the process. If world economy tanked for some reason and we found ourselves in another great depression, then all bets are off, though. Desperate people will do desperate things. They are more easily manipulated. Any number of things could shift and the world is not as well put together as we would like to believe. It's a lot of duct tape and glue holding the whole thing together.
- polotics 7y ago
  How is China older than Rome? I see no more continuity in culture or society between those.
  - chrisco255 7y ago
    China has had dynasty changes and civil wars for sure. But the language and culture are continuous for thousands of years. How many people speak Latin these days versus Mandarin?
    - AstralStorm 7y ago
      Try again but ask about Romance languages. Rome never forced Latin language on their members the way Mandarin was. Count the extant variants of Chinese and how they declined. In fact Greek was held in high esteem in the Roman empire.

chrisco255 7y ago

I wonder if the Nazis had stopped at Poland, Austria, and Hungary and just built up their power more slowly if they wouldn't have survived? The U.S.S.R. was no better but they had far more staying power and the remnants of that still influence politics to this day. The main point I take from history is that the past does not necessarily determine the future. There's no such thing as fate. The Nazis could have won if they didn't make certain strategic errors. If Rome didn't make certain strategic errors, it would still be an empire today. China itself is older than Rome and there's really no guarantees that they don't win this whole cold war or whatever it is that's brewing.

spectramax 7y ago
I think the point I was trying to make is - I cannot imagine an empire such as the British empire going around conquering and taking over the world today. We have nuclear power. We have instant communication on a global scale. Organizing is easier than ever on the internet and once we have satellite internet, it is game over. I just don't see the same type of century old analogies panning out in today's world. A superpower cannot antagonize, bully, invade and destroy neighbors like they used to in 13th century. Your point of the Nazi party sounds plausible - if Nazi party had slowly built up their power, I think they'd had a hard time spreading on a global scale.
- chrisco255 7y ago
  Maybe. I think nuclear weapons are a deterrent for these world wars that happened in the 20th century and I agree on that point. But the cold war still happened and it lasted a long time and there were many proxy wars fought in the process. If world economy tanked for some reason and we found ourselves in another great depression, then all bets are off, though. Desperate people will do desperate things. They are more easily manipulated. Any number of things could shift and the world is not as well put together as we would like to believe. It's a lot of duct tape and glue holding the whole thing together.
polotics 7y ago
How is China older than Rome? I see no more continuity in culture or society between those.
- chrisco255 7y ago
  China has had dynasty changes and civil wars for sure. But the language and culture are continuous for thousands of years. How many people speak Latin these days versus Mandarin?
  - AstralStorm 7y ago
    Try again but ask about Romance languages. Rome never forced Latin language on their members the way Mandarin was. Count the extant variants of Chinese and how they declined. In fact Greek was held in high esteem in the Roman empire.