8 ms·

> economic hostility towards outsiders Completely incomparable. Economic protectionism vs. invading, colonizing, and enslaving huge portions of the world.

• inglor_cz 5y ago
  Times have changed, methods have changed, too. Google does not invade or colonize anyone and yet their control over spread of information is probably better than whatever former great powers could boast. In the same way, countries like Greece can be kicked around by troika without a single shot fired.
  • nradov 5y ago
    In what sense was Greece kicked around? They could do whatever they wanted. But when they asked other countries for huge loans, naturally the lenders imposed some conditions to ensure repayment.
    • inglor_cz 5y ago
      Greece was in a situation where it theoretically could do whatever it wanted, but practically most of the choices led to immediate chaotic bankruptcy and were even legally undefined. There was, for example, no legal way to reintroduce the drachma. That is not a meaningful choice in my view. That is "standing with your back to a wall".