4 ms·

Empire is built on the back of military power and political influence. America's military power is in decline, but more importantly, its political influence is

Empire is built on the back of military power and political influence. America's military power is in decline, but more importantly, its political influence is tanking. So the end of empire is here. At this point it looks like Russia will be the next imperial world power although they are certainly doing it differently than other empires of the past. The Euro-Asian Union is likely to officially hold the crown but as we all know, the size of Russia will mean that it dominates in that Union. Of course, that empire too will run its course and I wonder if humanity can continue on the road paved by Russia. First, it was the Russian people who ended the Soviet Union and that was a remarkably peaceful event because Russians actually don't like wars. Next, the way that they are building the EAU as a partnership based on the model of the EU holds out some hope that it will be an empire that is less willing to throw its weight around globally. And finally, there has to be an end to empire. We humans have to learn how to share this planet under a different covenant than the one given to us by history. The EU is an example that all countries need to emulate, not by expanding the EU but by applying the EU principles in a broader more global way so that countries are no longer sovereign, but are subject to some sort of regional federation which mediates political and social affairs within and without the countries in the region.

dasil003 13y ago
The US hasn't been a traditional empire either though. I think it's arguable that American economic dominance came on the back of the military. After all, we never had governance of any of our imperial "territories". It's hard to tease apart the military and the industrial of the military-industrial complex, but I haven't seen compelling evidence that amazing run the US has had over the last century was primarily dependent on military power.
treenyc 13y ago
I am not big fan of US imperialism. However, if one examine the facts, it is unlikely that China and Russia/Europe will be the dominant force anytime soon. US still can dominates EVERYTHING if they really wanted to with their military, political and economic power. If you read The Oil Card: Global Economic Warfare in the 21st Century Jim Norman http://www.amazon.com/The-Oil-Card-Economic-Warfare/dp/097779539X http://www.amazon.com/The-Oil-Card-Economic-Warfare/dp/09777... A high oil price checkmates China (with its large population) but puts money in Putin’s coffers. Going back to the cold war one will see the fall of Soviet Union is engineered by suppression of Oil Prices during the cold war. After 1989 the Soviet reexamine, they agrees that it is cheap oil price that checkmated them. The trick now has a lot to do with strategy and game theory. I find that to be a bit depressing. As Dave Logan who wrote Tribal Leadership says: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." It would be nice to see the countries foster a kind of culture that will generate wealth for all, instead of devising game theory and strategy to out compete each other or different corporate factions. Healthy competition is a great instrument on small individual scale, it is idiosyncratic/inefficient on the country scale.

dasil003 13y ago

The US hasn't been a traditional empire either though. I think it's arguable that American economic dominance came on the back of the military. After all, we never had governance of any of our imperial "territories". It's hard to tease apart the military and the industrial of the military-industrial complex, but I haven't seen compelling evidence that amazing run the US has had over the last century was primarily dependent on military power.

treenyc 13y ago

I am not big fan of US imperialism. However, if one examine the facts, it is unlikely that China and Russia/Europe will be the dominant force anytime soon. US still can dominates EVERYTHING if they really wanted to with their military, political and economic power. If you read The Oil Card: Global Economic Warfare in the 21st Century Jim Norman http://www.amazon.com/The-Oil-Card-Economic-Warfare/dp/097779539X http://www.amazon.com/The-Oil-Card-Economic-Warfare/dp/09777... A high oil price checkmates China (with its large population) but puts money in Putin’s coffers. Going back to the cold war one will see the fall of Soviet Union is engineered by suppression of Oil Prices during the cold war. After 1989 the Soviet reexamine, they agrees that it is cheap oil price that checkmated them. The trick now has a lot to do with strategy and game theory. I find that to be a bit depressing. As Dave Logan who wrote Tribal Leadership says: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." It would be nice to see the countries foster a kind of culture that will generate wealth for all, instead of devising game theory and strategy to out compete each other or different corporate factions. Healthy competition is a great instrument on small individual scale, it is idiosyncratic/inefficient on the country scale.