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In the old days a country would use its military to conquer or subvert other countries to setup exploitative trading relationships. For example the opium wars.
by chvid 2y ago
In the old days a country would use its military to conquer or subvert other countries to setup exploitative trading relationships.
For example the opium wars.
Nowadays the empire works via its currency that allows it to buy real goods and assets for something it can create for free with little constrain.
Of course the exploitive nature of the “exorbitant” privilege is controversial; and some economists would argue that it does not exist at all.
- marcosdumay 2y ago> For example the opium wars. For a more recent example, the CIA operations on South and Central America in the 20th century. But well, it didn't take the entire military there, just a military-like paragovernamental entity. Doing that today would be seen in a bad light and has a real chance of turning the entire world against the country. That doesn't seem enough to stop Russia, though.